That Kind of Love Never Dies
by jschrift
Summary: People change, no matter how much you don't want them to.
1. Prologue

**That Kind of Love Never Dies**

 **Prologue**

Elena swiftly got out of her car and closed the door in a harsh fashion. She unlocked the door to her old house and walked in, slightly reminiscent of all the good memories she had in the place. Everything looked like it had before she left. And to think, of all the scenarios she could have come back to, she returned home because of a funeral.

Elena slowly treaded down the hallway full of pictures framed on the walls. There was one with her and Jeremy sitting on the porch swing with ice cream cones. Another was with Caroline and Bonnie at graduation. She even had one with Stefan practically lifting her off of her feet in a hug before she left for college. The further she walked down, the more depressed she became. Family portraits were hung in order by year.

There was the first one in 1992, before they had Jeremy and right after they had her. Miranda, holding baby Elena, and Grayson were sitting in lounge chairs with innocent smiles on their faces. As Elena went down the line, the pictures got more and more recent, just as the people in them aged older and older. Elena stopped at the last one in the row.

It was taken when her parents and Jeremy decided to surprise her in New York. About three months ago, it was taken right in front of the Statue of Liberty. They were all posed like cheesy tourists, which Elena absolutely adored.

And that was the last picture there would be of the whole family together. 'No more cliché family photos…' Elena thought bitterly. 'How did everything get so bad in just seven years?'

The door swung open and Jeremy entered with a briefcase. Elena looked up from her hands at the same down the briefcase was put down. That was when the siblings rushed towards each other with long strides and the sounds of sobbing filled the air.

"Oh, god, Jer...I can't believe-"

"-that they're gone...yeah, me too. It was horrible, Elena. I can't even stop thinking about it."

Elena squeezed him even tighter at the thought of what happened. "I'm so sorry that you had to go through that. And the fact that I wasn't even in the damn town, Jeremy…" Elena bursts into tears once more.

"No, no, hey. Nobody could've predicted that this would happen. You would know first-hand from experience, Elena."

"But you had to wake up alone! You were there for me, Jeremy! I should have been here for you! For them...I should have been here...and now they're dead. They're both dead...I can't...if I think about what you had to go through, and how I didn't even get to say goodbye to them, I can't breathe," Elena whispers, practically hyperventilating.

"Shh, shh, Elena. You're breaking down. I'm here."

"But they're not…our parents are dead, and I'm not okay. And I might never be okay. It was a _car_ _crash_ , Jer. I feel like hell, like I'm going to die…"

"Hey, Elena, I need you to calm down. We don't want you to relapse. Shh, it's okay..."

"It's not, Jeremy. It's not and you know it. These past years of my life have sucked beyond belief. I don't even know if I…"

"We'll travel, then. How does Europe sound? I know you've always wanted to visit Paris. Italy, maybe? We could travel anywhere you want to go. I promise you, we can move on. It'll all be in our past."

"I've been running for the past seven years, Jeremy. I can't keep doing it. I have to face what happened and I have to move on from it. Everything that happened, everything I went through...running isn't going to solve those problems."

"Of course, Elena. We'll do what you think is what's best. If you want to stay, then we'll stay."

"I do. I need to get a grip on my shit-filled life."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One 

Elena Gilbert, currently six years old, was just putting the finishing touches on her sandcastle. Three tiered, perfectly carved, Elena admired her handiwork as she stepped back.

"Care! Bonnie! Come look at my sandcastle!" Elena yelled over to her friends who were playing by the water's edge. They turned around and saw Elena pointing to her castle.

Caroline bounded over, her face a mask of delight. "Ooh, Elena, it's so pretty! I'd love to live there." Elena giggled just as Bonnie made her way over.

She closely inspects the castle while looking impressed. "Wow, Elena, you've got some mad sand-carving skills. Hehe, I have to admit, I'm kind of jealous."

Elena smiled widely at her two best friends. "Thank you!"

"We're going back by the Falls if you wanna join us?" Caroline questioned with her head cocked.

"In a little bit. I just want to stare at my castle as long as I can before it gets ruined."

"Okay!" Bonnie and Caroline ran back to the waterfall as Elena continued to gaze at her castle, fantasizing that she could live in it. Though, as much as she wanted to live in a castle, she was extremely happy that Mystic Falls was her hometown. It was a little eerie, yes, but beautiful overrode that anyday. The multiple waterfalls scattered throughout the town were the main attractions, since it was called Mystic Falls. Elena could admit that mysticism floated through the atmosphere, but that excited her just the same.

Elena snapped out of her thinking as Tyler Lockwood strutted over to her. He was the same age as her, but that didn't make him any less cocky. Being the mayor's son, his ego was sky-high. She honestly had no idea what Caroline saw in him, given that her friend had a tiny crush.

"Wow, Elena, what a sandcastle! Man, impressive, huh? But, see, the thing is, your castle is in my way."

"Walk around it, Tyler." Elena said, suppressing to roll her eyes.

"No, it's right in the spot where I like to take a running start into the water. Hehe, well, I guess I still could…" Before Elena could protest, Tyler ran straight through her castle and jumped into the lake.

"No! My sandcastle! Tyler, why did you do that?!"

Tyler came out of the water sporting a smirk. "Like I said, it was in the way."

Elena couldn't help the feeling of wanting to punch him, but she didn't even get the chance before someone beat her to it. Before Elena could even blink, Tyler was in the sand and clutching his face in pain. Elena quickly turned around to see a boy with stark black hair and the bluest eyes that she'd ever seen.

"That's gonna leave a bruise, man. Better hurry up and get some ice on it." The boy stated while Tyler glared at him. He stalked away to his parents, seething.

"Punching the mayor's son doesn't seem like a good idea." Elena said as she bit back a grin.

He shrugged and raised an eyebrow. "I didn't do anything that you weren't thinking yourself. Besides, I don't really care. Your sandcastle was good, and he ruined it."

Elena's face lit up as he said that and she was restraining herself from not giving him a big hug.

"Thank you, uh…"

"Damon."

"Thank you, Damon. I'm Elena." When he held out his hand, Elena stared at it for a minute and then gave him a crushing hug.

"Oh, wow, you're a really tight squeezer."

"Sorry." Elena pulled back and grinned. "I'm more of a hugger than a handshaker. Call it a girl thing or whatever, but it's my sign of gratitude."

"You're welcome. It was really no big deal."

"Well, I'm still grateful. You live around here? I haven't seen you before."

"Yeah, well, my family lives more by the outskirts of the town. We're not that social, I guess. At least my dad isn't."

"Oh. But you're here with your family, aren't you? Did you guys finally decide to become social?"

"Nope. I ran away."

"You ran away?" Elena pondered for a moment. She couldn't bear the thought of running away from her family. She loved her mom, dad, and brother dearly. Plus, she had no idea where she'd run to anyway. "Out of all places to run away to, why'd you come here?"

"I always liked coming to the Falls. They're calming to look at. I didn't know that there was some town event going on here, and I was going to go somewhere else, but when I saw that Tyler kid run straight through your castle, I decided to act on it."

"I'm kind of glad you did. I'm sure my right hook isn't as strong as yours, and I'd definitely hurt my hand. Plus, you're fun to talk to."

"You're not the worst company in the world either, Elena." Damon said with a smile.

"Friends?" Elena asked as she held out her hand.

Damon smirked and pulls her in for a hug. "I could use a friend or two."

Elena giggles, "Then you have to meet my other two friends. Their names are Bonnie and Caroline, and I love them both to death. And don't blame Caroline for having a tiny crush on Tyler."

Damon's eyes widened. "What?" Elena just nodded and pulled him towards her best friends.

"Bonnie, Caroline, I'd like you to meet Damon."

"Damon? I've never seen you around town before. You new?" Bonnie questioned while Caroline was making goo-goo at him.

"Bonnie, who cares? He's cute! Hi, Damon!"

Bonnie rolls her eyes while Damon silently chuckles.

"It seems she moved on from Tyler, huh?" Damon whispered to Elena.

She suppresses a laugh and turns to Bonnie and Caroline. "Damon lives by the edge of town with his family."

"Oh, that explains it. So, what brings you to the Summer Kickoff?"

"Eh, I ran away."

"What? Why?" Caroline questions with her brows furrowed. Damon looks uncomfortable and Elena shakes her head.

"Care, that's none of our business."

"Fine. Then how did you two meet in the last hour?"

"He punched Tyler Lockwood in the face for destroying my sandcastle."

Caroline's eyes widened as she looks from Elena to Damon. "Tyler is really mean. I can't believe I ever saw anything in him. It's a good thing Damon was there for you, huh, Elena?"

"Yeah, but if he wasn't, then I would've just punched Tyler myself, resulting in a broken hand. So, yes, I'm grateful."

"So, Damon, how old are you?" Caroline asks. "We three are all six."

"That would make me three years older than you lot because I'm nine."

Caroline pouts at this. "Oh, darn. I was hoping for a boyfriend at six, but my mom said that I shouldn't date old men."

Elena and Bonnie look horrified at Caroline's confession while Damon bursts out laughing. "Caroline! You're only six, you don't need a boyfriend."

"Well, I won't be six forever, and I want to be prepared for the future. I want to know what to expect. Tyler is what I don't want. Damon, however…"

Bonnie slaps her hand over Caroline's mouth before she could spill any more embarrassing tells about herself. "Okay, Care, it's time to go. Say goodbye to Damon."

Caroline gives a little wave and gives a muffled, "Goodbye, Damon!" Damon gives a little wave back as Bonnie drags Caroline back to her mom.

Elena looks at Damon apologetically. "Sorry about that. She's a little...much sometimes. We've grown to tolerate her, but...you know."

"Honestly, I found it entertaining. You've got good friends, Elena."

Elena smiles, "Yeah, I do. Come on, I wanna introduce you to my parents. They'll love you for punching Tyler. Just don't tell my brother, he's friends with him." Elena drags him away once again.


	3. Chapter 2

**a little time jump :)**

 **Chapter Two**

 _Two Years Later_

Damon crawls through Elena's bedroom window as she exits her bathroom, towel-drying her hair. She jumps when she sees him. "Oh, Damon. You scared me."

"Sorry. I had to get out of the house." Damon winces as he talks.

Elena frowns when she looks him over. "Is Giuseppe beating you again?"

Damon lifts his shirt up to reveal a couple dark-colored bruises. "Yep. It's not like I expected anything different from when he got back from his trip, but…"

"Come here. Bed, now. I'll get an ice pack." Elena runs downstairs and goes to the fridge to grab some ice. Jeremy's eating some mac 'n cheese at the table.

"Hey, Elena. Damon here?" Elena silently nods and puts a finger to her mouth, shushing him. She grabs the ice pack and quietly runs back upstairs.

"Here you go." Elena gently places the ice on Damon's stomach as she sits next to him. "Are you okay?"

Damon just shrugs. "Like I said, I shouldn't expect anything different. Stefan's completely oblivious, as usual. But I guess that's good. He should stay in the dark and, you know, keep his innocent thoughts about Father."

"You're a good brother. You're trying to keep him safe. That's admirable, you know." Elena says as she and Damon are laying on the bed."

"Yeah, well, he's the only family left that I actually care about. I'd hate it if something happened to him." Damon's absentmindedly playing with Elena's hair while she stares up at the ceiling.

"Being the older sibling gets tiring, but I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world. I'd feel the exact same way if something happened to Jeremy, too."

They sit in silence for a while. Damon's looking up at the ceiling while Elena looks around her room. Her eyes land on the calendar and she smiles.

"Tomorrow's your birthday, Damon. You're going to be twelve!"

"Hmm, I'm not real excited for it. You know how I am with birthdays. It's just a number with no real importance."

"Of course it has importance, you idiot. It celebrates how many years you've been on the earth and not to mention the date that you came to be. Come on, be excited!"

Damon chuckles but doesn't say anything. Elena rolls her eyes. "Fine, then I'll be excited for the both of us. Yay! Whoo! Ugh, Damon, I'll buy you two cakes if you cheer," Elena pleads with a smile.

Damon glances over at Elena and gives in with a sigh. "All right, all right. It's my birthday. Yippee. Hallelujah."

"More enthusiasm or no cake for you."

"Yay!" Damon manages to spit out while Elena looks gleeful.

"That's the spirit! C'mon, your birthday's going to be epic."

"Hardly. Especially when I'm sporting these bruises." Damon grumbles.

Elena sighs and gives his stomach a quick kiss. "You'll be better in no time. Now stop complaining, grumpy pants." Damon's facial expression softens and he gives a small smile. "By the way, you're not going home tonight. Beating you on your birthday is completely unacceptable, not to mention any other day of the year. And before you say anything, Stefan will be fine."

"...alright, thanks."

Elena grins, "What are besties for? If not for annoying you, then it's for allowing sleepovers multiple times a week."

"Right, right."

Elena snuggles under the comforter and covers Damon with a blanket. "Goodnight, Damon."

"Night, 'Lena."

the next day

Elena wakes up with Damon's arms encompassing her. She grins and grabs the noise-maker from her nightstand. *HONK*

Damon immediately sits up as Elena bursts out laughing.

"Oh, that was priceless! Your face!" Elena rolls over laughing while Damon glares at her for a second. He suddenly gets an mischievous glint in his eyes and begins to tickle Elena.

"Aah! No, no! Damon! Eeep! Stooop!" Elena breathes between laughs. Damon laughs and continues tickling her.

"You brought this onto yourself, Elena. This is what you get for waking me up with an annoying noise-maker." Elena snatches he noise-maker off the floor and blows it again in Damon's face. The hole in the end of the plastic ends up spraying spit all over Damon's face. He abruptly stops tickling her and gives Elena a dumbfounded look.

"Is this what I think it is…?" He reaches for her again, but Elena squeals and jumps out of bed and into the bathroom, locking the door.

Damon jiggles the handle while knocking on the door. "Ohh, Elena, you're gonna regret that…" Damon says threateningly while smiling.

"Actually, I don't regret it at all because it was really funny. By the way, happy birthday!" Elena yells back in a sing-song voice. "You can shower after me! Don't worry, I'll be sure to use up all of the hot water, just for you!" Elena turns on the shower as Damon smiles and shakes his head while walking away from the door.

 _later in the day_

Elena excitedly shuffles around the kitchen, occasionally peeping up at the two cakes on the kitchen island. Miranda comes in and smiles at Elena.

"Hey, honey. Your friends will be over in about an hour or so. Grayson is picking up Stefan like you requested, too. Where's Damon at?"

"Ah, he's just showering. It might be a short one though. I used up all of the hot water right before I got out. Oh, and thank you guys for picking up Stefan. Damon will appreciate it." Elena blurts out quickly, looking slightly frazzled.

"It's not a problem, sweetie. And those are the cakes you asked for - cookies 'n cream ice cream cake and plain angel food cake."

"Good, good. Can you help me hang up this banner? I can't reach." Elena admits with a chuckle.

"Of course. There we go…" Miranda lifts the banner above the table and ties it to the hooks. "Does that look good?"

"It looks perfect. Thanks, mom." Elena says sweetly. The doorbell rings multiple times in a row. "Oh, that's Caroline and Bonnie! They're the only ones who do that." Elena excitedly opens the door revealing Caroline and Bonnie standing there with presents.

"You guys made it!" Elena throws her arms around them both.

"Of course we did. Damon deserves to celebrate his birthday happy for once." Caroline says whilst smiling.

"And what better way to do that than with two cakes and presents?" Bonnie says while wiggling her eyebrows.

"Get in here, you two. Come, come." Elena pulls them both in the house just as Jeremy walks down the steps. "Jer, hey."

"Hey, Elena. Is dad home yet?"

"No, he'll be back soon though with Stefan."

"Ooh, is that cake? Two cakes?!"

"Uh-uh, you're going to have to wait until Damon gets down to blow out his candles."

"Ugh, fine. Tell him to hurry up."

Grayson and Stefan enter the house holding hands. "Honey, we're home! Hey, everyone." Miranda gives Grayson a chaste kiss and takes Stefan's hand.

"Hey, Stefan. How ya doing, bud?" Miranda asks while ruffling his hair.

"Good! Thanks for inviting me, Mrs. Gilbert." Stefan says, grinning up at her."

Miranda smiles. "Please, call me Miranda. Mrs. Gilbert sounds way too formal."

"I think Damon got out of the shower. I'm gonna go get him and bring him down. You think you guys could turn off the lights and shout surprise?" Everyone in the room nods eagerly. "'Kay, thanks!"

Elena bounds up the stairs and enters her room to see Damon drying off with the towel. "Hey, Damon. Are you almost ready?" He nods and puts his shirt on.

"Yeah, what're we doing? Oh, and don't think I forgot about what you did with that noise-maker and your spit. I'll get you back, 'Lena."

Elena smiles and wiggles her eyebrows. "Right, right, sure you will."

Damon wiggles his eyebrows back. "Don't underestimate me. Mark my words, I'll get you back so good." Elena laughs and grabs his arm.

"Let's go downstairs, hmm?"

Elena leads him down the stairs while Damon looks around. "Why are all of the lights-"

Everyone jumps out at once and yells "SURPRISE!"

"Wow...you guys did all of this?" Everyone smiles and nods. Damon turns to Elena who gives him a hug.

"Happy birthday, Damon. I got you two cakes like I promised."

Damon smiles back. "Thank you for this, Elena. For everything."

"Well, of course. It's your birthday, so you deserve it."

Damon turns around and sees Stefan. "Stef?"

"Damon! Hello!" Stefan runs over and gives Damon a hug. "Happy birthday, brother."

"Thank you, Stefan. Thank you, everyone, for this. I really don't know what to say."

"Of course, Damon. You wanna come here and blow out your candles?"

Damon nods and walks over to the ice cream cake. "Make a wish!" Damon closes his eyes and proceeds to blow out all twelve candles at once. Everyone cheers.

"You blew them all out at once! Good job."

"Heh, thank you. This is great, really. You all know I don't exactly get this at home, so I really appreciate it."

"Anytime, Damon. You're a part of the family."


	4. Chapter 3

**and here's another time jump ;) plus a little added clichéness**

 **Chapter Three**

 _Ten Years Later_

"Damon, where are we going?" Elena questions as Damon leads Elena somewhere with her blindfolded.

"Nowhere. Everywhere. You know how it goes, 'Lena. Now shush with the questions and just let me lead you." Elena smiles and squeezes Damon's hand as they continue walking.

"Okay, we're here. Allow me…" Damon removes Elena's blindfold to reveal that they were on top of the Falls.

"Oh my god...it's beautiful up here. And during a sunset? Damon Salvatore, you are really something." Elena says while smiling.

"Well, it's your birthday, Elena. The big 18, right? It should be special. You deserve special and much more."

Elena fans her eyes and blinks a few times. "Wow, I think you're going to make me cry." Elena suddenly gasps as she notices a tree with a swing on it. "Is that really what I think it is?"

"If you think it's a swing that'll go over the Falls, then you are correct. I remember you telling me that this is something you've always wanted to do."

"And you remembered...okay, you're really making me tear up here. This is amazing, Damon. Words cannot express how thankful I am for you just being you. And I sound really cheesy and cliché, but who cares." Elena wraps her arms around Damon's neck and hugs him tightly, slightly afraid that she'll blink and everything will just disappear.

Damon buries his nose in her hair and inhales her scent of green apples and honey. "So, I've kind of been waiting a long time to say this. I mean, honestly, I've been scared to, but I've known ever since you threw me my twelfth birthday party. I love you, Elena. And there are so many reasons why, which I could list for you, but that would take a while."

"I've known you for about 12 years now...and I think a part of me has been ready for you to say that ever since you punched Tyler Lockwood in the face for ruining my sandcastle. You have done so much for me over the years, and I think the thing that I love the most about you is how big your heart is. You know what I'm going to say, but I'll just say it anyways. I love you too, Damon."

Damon pulls Elena close and they kiss passionately. When they break away, both of them look flushed and wide grins are stretched across their faces. Damon continues to lovingly gaze at Elena when he remembers something.

"Oh, ahem, I also have your birthday present right here in my pocket." Elena opens her mouth to say something but Damon interrupts her. "I know I promised not to buy you anything, so don't worry. I didn't pay for it." Damon pulls out a jewelry box and opens it in front of Elena who gasps.

"Damon...I remember you showing this to me when I went over your house one day...it's your mother's necklace, right?"

"Yeah, it is. I just did some adjustments on the back of the pendant…"

"Damon and Elena…'I'll like you, always, but I'll love you forever'. Damon...I literally have no words. You successfully have rendered me speechless. I mean, you're giving me your mother's necklace?" Damon silently nods while Elena's eyes water again. "Put it on me, please?" Damon takes the necklace and Elena pulls her hair aside as he clasps it around her neck.

"Do you like it?" Damon questions with a small smirk.

"Like it? I love it. And you know how much I love sentimental items. Ugh, come here." Elena pulls Damon in for another hug and kiss. "I love you so much. Best birthday ever."

Damon's eyes are shining as he chuckles and holds Elena by the waist. "I'm glad you think so. Want to swing now?"

Elena nods and sits down on the wooden swing. She cautiously tugs at the ropes holding it in place. "This won't break...right? I'm not going to fall to my death?"

"Heh, nope. Don't worry, I reinforced it and tested it before. Plus, I'm pretty sure you're, like, half of my body weight."

"Right. So, okay, umm, push me? Lightly, though. I don't want to lose my shoes in the water," Elena jokingly warns him.

Damon gently pushes Elena on the swing, but she halts it to a stop. "Hang on, I'm just going to take them off. I'm more of a barefoot person, anyways." Elena slips of her sandals and sets them on the ground. "Okay, restart."

Damon pushes Elena again and she swings across the grass and above the waterfall. Elena laughs in delight as she leans her head back and closes her eyes, clearly enjoying the breeze. "Ohh, I feel so tranquil." Damon smiles and backs away, taking his phone out to snap a picture of Elena on the swing with the sunset in the distance.

He puts his phone away after taking numerous pictures and sits down on the grass. They both watch as the sun sets the rest of the way.

"Well, it's dark now and I can't see a thing."

"Hold on, I'll just use the flashlight on my phone." Damon turns it on. "Better?" Elena nods and they begin to walk down the cliff. She stops all of a sudden, realizing something.

"Wait, I forgot my shoes. Ugh, I knew I was forgetting something. I'll be right back, Damon." Elena stalks back up the hill and slips her feet into the sandals. She sighs contently and walks back down.

"Damon? Damon…? Wow, I cannot see a thing. Hello? Damon, did you just leave me here?! Well, if he left me here, how would he answer that? Nice, Elena. Damon! This isn't-" Elena abruptly shuts up as she sees two figures in the distance. "Hello?! Damon! Huh. He left me here." Elena sighs and follows the people walking ahead of her. She stops when they start talking. Or rather, when the female starts talking.

"You will not scream. You will not run." The woman bites her wrist and shoves it in the other person's mouth. Elena involuntarily gasps and the woman smirks when she hears her. Then Elena hears a sickening crack. Damon's body falls at her feet.

"Oh my god. Oh my god...what the hell?! No, no, no, damn it. Damon! What the HELL?! Who are you? What did...what did you do?!"

The woman steps into the Elena's vision so she can clearly see her face, which looks exactly like her. Elena's screams can be heard from miles away.

"Hello, Elena."

"What kind of sick joke are you playing?! What did you do to him?! And why the HELL do you look like me?!"

"Sorry, Elena. I can only answer one of the three questions that you asked me. What did I do to him? Easy. I killed him."

"...YOU DID WHAT?!"

"I killed him, Elena. K-I-L-L-E-D. Keep up, now."

Elena's eyes fill with tears instantly and she kneels down, brushing hair off Damon's forehead. "Why? W-why did you do this? Who are you…?"

"Hmm, that's for me to know, and for you to dot, dot, dot. See you around, Elena." The woman disappears.

"No, no, no, Damon. Oh, god, Damon, please don't really be dead. No pulse...no pulse...SHIT! Damn it, Damon! How did...why...no, no, no…" Elena breaks down in front of his body and cries. Hours go by and she's still crying. She shakily reaches for Damon's phone and dials.

"Hello? Damon?"

"No...no, it's me, Elena. Stefan…"

"Elena? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Everything! I don't even know, Stefan! He's just…" Elena chokes back a sob as she continues to stare at his lifeless body. "She did it...she looks like me, and she ruined everything."

"Elena, what're you talking about? Where are you?"

"Stefan, I need help...Damon, he's-"

Damon suddenly gasps and sits up. He looks around and his eyes land on Elena. "Elena?"

Elena's mouth drops along with the phone. It's eerily quiet for a few seconds and then she lets out a piercing scream. Stefan's still on the phone.

"Elena? Elena, are you still there? What's happening? Elena?!"


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

 _Damon suddenly gasps and sits up. He looks around and his eyes land on Elena. "Elena?"_

 _Elena's mouth drops along with the phone. It's eerily quiet for a few seconds and then she lets out a piercing scream. Stefan's still on the phone._

 _"Elena? Elena, are you still there? What's happening? Elena?!"_

Elena blindly reaches for her phone while keeping her eyes glued on Damon. "Stefan, something's wrong."

"Elena, what are you talking about?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. He was dead, and now he's not. I am freaking out here!" Elena whispers harshly into the phone.

"Who was dead?"

"Damon! Damon died, Stefan! His neck was snapped by this woman who looked exactly like me...and now he's standing in front of me, alive as can be."

"Okay, Elena, where are you? Do you want me to come and pick you up?"

"No, I drove here...with Damon. So, uh, yes, actually. We're by the Falls. Please hurry…" Elena hangs up and remembers she's talking on Damon's phone. Warily, she holds it out in front of her. "Here...I had to use your phone."

Damon takes the phone and slips it back into his pocket. "Elena, what's going on? What were you just talking to Stefan about?"

"You seriously have no idea? Okay, tell me what the last thing you remember is."

"You were leading me further into the woods after you got your shoes. And then you told me not to scream or move. You shoved your bloody wrist into my mouth and then nothing. What the hell, Elena?!"

"Oh, no, no! That was not me! When I came back from getting my shoes, you were gone. I thought you left me here. I noticed two figures in the distance and followed them, who actually turned out to be you and my freaking doppelgänger! And then I had to watch her snap your neck, Damon! I watched you drop dead. I even checked for a pulse, and there wasn't one! And now you're suddenly alive again? I think I should be asking you 'what the hell', Damon!" Elena yelled back with watery eyes.

Damon's face softens and he reaches for Elena's hand. When skin-on-skin contact is made, Elena immediately pulls back. "You're freezing. You're freezing in the middle of June. Like, your skin is cold to the touch."

"Okay, well, according to you, I just came back from the dead. Probably bound to be cold, right?"

Elena just gapes at him. She hears a car pull up by the road. Tiredly, she puts her hand on her forehead and sighs. "Stefan's here. He's, uh, he's going to drive me home. Whatever happened tonight, we can talk about it tomorrow. Goodnight, Damon." The night had started out so well and now look where they were. Shaking her head, Elena starts to walk away when Damon grabs her hand, causing her to wince slightly from the temperature.

"I'm sorry. I...whatever happened tonight, and whoever...killed me is probably still out there. Just please don't leave." Damon implored, his blue eyes shining brighter than ever in the moonlight.

Elena sighs again and hesitantly agrees. After all, it couldn't be easy to learn that you were killed and came back to life, knowing that your murderer was still out there. "Alright. I'll drive your car to your house and just crash there. That okay?"

Damon gives a weak smile and nods. "Yeah. I'd give you a hug, but I'm apparently too cold to touch." Whatever he was feeling, he didn't like it. All he longed for was to hold Elena, but she shivered by his slightest touch.

"You are. Maybe if you shower, the coldness will go away?" Elena wondered aloud, feeling a bit hopeful because she just wanted to snuggle up with him and pass out.

"Yeah, maybe. Meet you back at the house then?"

Elena nods and gestures to where Stefan's parked. "Don't keep Stefan waiting. I'll be there soon." Elena gets in Damon's car and drives off just as Damon goes over to Stefan's car and gets in, hoping to have a silent ride home. No such luck.

"Care to explain what exactly happened tonight? I thought you and Elena were just hanging out for her birthday. It's nearly three in the morning, Damon," Stefan questioned, a little grumpy that he had to get out of bed for nothing.

"Uh, I don't exactly want to talk about it. Yes, Elena and I celebrated her birthday, but things got complicated."

"Complicated? She said that you died. And now you're just sitting in the car with me, acting like everything's normal. Are you okay? Did, uh, did you actually die?"

"I don't know, Stefan, okay? If Elena said that I died, then I probably did."

"Not possible," Stefan muttered under his breath. Damon looks over and rolls his eyes.

"I heard that. And yeah, I know it's not possible."

Stefan's eyebrows shoot up. "How did you hear me? I practically just moved my lips." When Damon shrugs, Stefan just looks back to the road. "You never answered me question. Are you okay?"

"As okay as I can be. I feel like I have a headache or something, though. Everything feels...really strong right now. I don't know how to explain it. Plus, I'm really hungry."

"Oh, yeah? You want a sandwich?" Stefan pulls one out of his pocket and tosses it to Damon.

"Why do you have a sandwich in your pocket?" Damon asks while slowly unwrapping the foil.

"In case I get hungry when people request a taxi service in the middle of the night."

Damon takes a bite of the sandwich. He suddenly gags and spits it back into the foil. "Ugh, this tastes disgusting. How old is it?"

"Damon, I just made it before I came to pick you guys up. It's even your favorite kind - chicken parmesan."

"Then why does it taste so bad? Maybe I'm just not as hungry as I thought I was." Damon tosses the sandwich in the backseat and closes his eyes, resting his head on the cool window.

"You sure you okay? We're almost home, so don't fall asleep. I'm not carrying you inside."

"I'm fine, Stefan. Look at that, we're home. Elena's already here, too." Damon unbuckles his seatbelt and exits the car, slamming the door with more force than he intended to.

"Geez, careful." Stefan chastised. Damon ignores him and goes inside. As soon as he looks up at the bright lights decorating the house, he winces.

"Wow, did Dad change the lightbulbs or something? Why are they so bright all of a sudden?" Damon covers his face with his hand and collapses on the couch in the parlor.

"No…they're the same lightbulbs that were here before you left. Are you sure you're okay?" Stefan murmured with concern edging his voice.

"I told you, Stefan, I'm fine. Just a little sensitive to everything, I guess," Damon snapped.

Stefan scoffs and turns his head when Elena comes downstairs in her pajamas. "Damon's all yours. Be warned, he's in a mood."

"I think we all need some sleep. It's almost four in the morning and I'm sure everyone's exhausted. C'mon, Damon. Bed, now."

Damon stalks up the stairs after Elena and Stefan. He watches Elena ruffle Stefan's hair before pushing him into his bedroom.

"Alright, grumpy, get in the shower before you get in bed. You're still pretty cold." Elena mumbles before slipping under the warm comforter.

Damon groans but takes a nice, steamy shower before getting in bed next to Elena. She rolls over and he places a chaste kiss on her cheek, which results in a small smile. Damon pulls her into his arms and murmurs, "Goodnight, 'Lena."

 _the next day_

Elena grumbles as she feels the restless movements on the bed. She cracks an eye open and stares at the clock, which reads 8:00. Rubbing her eyes, she slowly sits up and looks over at Damon, who looks like he had an awful night's sleep. Dark bags are under his eyes, contrasting with alarmingly pale skin. His dark black hair is more tussled than usual as well. Though his eyes are still closed, the tossing and turning continues on.

After watching him for a while, Elena decides that whatever's going on inside his head can't be good. Making up her mind, she pokes him in the shoulder. "Damon," Elena whispers loudly enough for him to wake up.

His eyes shoot open and he looks around the room. When his gaze lands on Elena, she can tell that his thoughts are being haunted by something dark. Damon narrows his eyes and stares at Elena who gives a questioning look back.

"Elena…"

His voice was not filled with the usual sweetness that she heard every morning, but instead with malice and raspiness."

Elena's forehead creases with concern as she puts a hand to his pale and clammy skin. "Damon, you don't look so good. What's wrong?"

"I'm starving," was the only thing he muttered before closing his eyes again.

"What do you want to eat? I'll make you breakfast, okay?" Elena swings her legs over the bed and walks over to the windows. With a grand gesture, she pushes open the dark curtains hanging in front of the window. Letting the light warm up her face, Elena smiled but stopped when she could practically feel Damon's death glare burn through the back of her head. Turning around, she saw that Damon was shielding his face from the sun.

"Close them," he snapped, his tone laced with annoyance and exhaustion.

Elena cocks an eyebrow and shuts the curtains, inwardly restraining herself from flipping him the finger. "What crawled up your ass today?" Elena muttered quietly before she walked over to the bathroom, closing and locking the door. Mentally, she couldn't deal with whatever was going on. All she wanted was to take a warm shower, eat something, and then go for a jog to release her pent-up energy.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, she felt energized and refreshed. Her hair was still put up in a towel since she couldn't be bothered to blow-dry it today. Looking around the bedroom, she noticed that the bed was empty. She sighed and walked down the hall, coming to a halt in front of Stefan's door. Deciding against knocking, Elena waltzed into the room and opened his curtains.

"Rise and shine, Stef." Elena sang with a mischievous grin on her face. "Come on, get up!" When the lump under the covers didn't move, Elena ripped the blankets off of him.

"Ugh, early, bad." Stefan attempted stealing them back, but it was no use so he gave up.

"First of all, it's not early. And second, it's not bad. Come on, Stef, I need someone to go on a jog with!"

"Do it with Damon like you normally do. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not a morning person," Stefan said while placing a pillow on top of his face.

"Damon's acting like a caveman this morning so his angry energy will only ruin the mood. Please? I'll make you breakfast if you come with me."

"Oh, you'll make me breakfast? Not a crappy bowl of cereal, but an actual breakfast?"

When Elena nods, Stefan gives her a big smile. "In that case, yes, I'll go jogging with you. If you're taking requests, I'll have a waffle and some eggs."

"Deal," Elena says while pulling Stefan out of bed by his hands. "You shower first and when you get out, a real breakfast will be ready for you."

"Ohh, Elena, you should sleep over every night. I only get pampered when you're around."

"Sorry, Stef, but we got college, remember? We graduated a couple of weeks ago, and as much as I'd like to live here, it's not an option. Not any time soon, at least."

Stefan pouts at this. "Guess that just means I'll have to make the most of the times when you're over here, huh? Alright, quit stalling and make me something delicious," Stefan says with a grateful smile.

"Of course," Elena says before exiting the room and walking downstairs. Giuseppe and Damon were nowhere in sight, which she thought was a little strange since Giuseppe was almost always sitting in the kitchen, reading the newspaper. At least she had the ability to cook and dance at the same time without getting embarrassed.

After putting a CD in the music player, Elena began dancing to her heart's content around the kitchen while gathering ingredients. Boxed waffles were no good, they had to be completely homemade. Putting in everything that she needed to make the batter, she began mixing it together. She got out the waffle iron and poured in the batter. While waiting for her waffles to cook, she got out the skillet and cracked some eggs. She bopped over to the fridge and pulled out the produce she was going to fill her own omelet with. Mushrooms, carrots, peas, and green beans were piled in her arms. She also got out some blueberries and strawberries to put on the waffles. Elena twirled the spatula around in her hand while flipping the eggs after checking on her waffles.

Deciding that there could never be enough food, Elena began filling a bowl up with more fresh fruit. Her favorites were the peach slices and green grapes. Popping a grape into her mouth, she deposited the eggs onto separate plates along with the perfectly toasted waffles. She drizzled her own with maple syrup and whipped cream, topping it off with berries. Doing the same with Stefan's, she decorated his and finished it with a nice whipped cream flourish.

She turned around with a smile on her face, but suddenly jumped and stifled a scream when she saw Damon watching her with a hint of a smile.

"Oh, god, Damon. Uh, how long have you been standing there?" Elena asked, slightly embarrassed.

"Enough to know that you were doing your usual routine cooking when you think no one's around."

Elena noticed that his appearance hadn't improved in the slightest and his voice still sounded cracked. After debating on whether or not to mention it, she decided not to. Instead, she chuckled, "You mean to say that you've watched me dance while cooking before? Whoops…"

"Don't worry, it's cute. Really." Damon stated with a slight smirk.

Elena shook her head and gestured to the stairs. "Can you let Stefan know that his breakfast is ready? I don't want it getting cold."

When Damon left the room, Elena grimaced at his behavior and appearance. The whole time he was in the room, he wasn't staring at anything except her neck, which disturbed her more than she liked to admit. Something was definitely off with him, but she wasn't going to dwell on it until her food was finished.

Elena's demeanor lightened up when she saw Stefan excitedly enter the kitchen, Damon following close behind. When he sat down at the table, Elena placed his food in front of him. "Bon appétit, monsieur."

"Merci, Elena. This looks really good. Heh, almost too pretty to eat." Stefan said gratefully.

"Just like you…" Damon murmurs so quietly that Elena almost didn't catch it. She turns towards him with a frown on her face, which he responded to with a wink and then walked out of the room.

Elena begins eating her own food, and after she was sure Damon was out of earshot, she decides to express her concerns about him to Stefan.

"Stefan, don't you think Damon's been acting...strange lately?" Elena questions in between bites.

"If you mean that he's been acting like an asshole lately, then yes. It's completely unlike him."

"Right? And when he confronted me in the kitchen, he wouldn't stop looking at my neck. I saw it in his eyes, Stefan. Lust." Elena shudders at the memory and pops a grape in her mouth.

"Honestly, yeah, Damon did the same when he came to retrieve me for breakfast. It's creepy and makes me uneasy. What should we do?"

"I don't think that we should do anything…" Elena says quietly. "It might make him lash out at us. We both love him, so we should trust him to tell us if something is seriously wrong."

Stefan silently nods. After they both finish their breakfasts, Stefan takes both of their dishes and puts them in the sink.

"I think we could both use that jog now, huh?" Stefan asks, slightly grinning.

Elena nods enthusiastically. "Yeah, we really do. Oh, and tonight, I'm not going to stay over."

"So it's back to boxed cereal for me, huh? Ah, well, I'm sure you'll be cooking for me again soon enough," Stefan dramatically sighs and then smacks Elena's ponytail. Laughing, he runs out of the house.

"Stefan!" Elena runs after him and catches up on the sidewalk. She playfully shoves his shoulder and they continue jogging.

 _later at night_

Elena reluctantly returns to the Salvatore house, realizing she forgot her phone there. She's about to enter the house but stops abruptly due to hearing yells not too far away. Against her better judgement, she decides to follow the noise. Her conscience was telling her to walk away now, but she stubbornly refused to listen. She should have listened. She really should have.

When Elena approaches to the place where the yelling originated, the horrific scene becomes burned in her brain. She wants to scream or faint or run, but none of that happens. Instead, she just stares.

In front of her is Giuseppe Salvatore being brutally murdered by his own son. Blood is spewed everywhere, but there's no weapon. The thing that shocks Elena to her core is watching him, the love of her life, rip apart Giuseppe's neck with his teeth. Scratch that, fangs.

An involuntary gasp is what causes Damon to turn around and look at her. Elena's positive that the image she's seeing right now will haunt her dreams forever. Blood is dripping off his face and hands, soaking into his shirt. The beautiful blue eyes that she knows and loves have been replaced by darkness. They're pure black, just like the veins circulating under them. Razor sharp fangs are being bared at her, and the only thing Elena can do is blink. To her, Damon's never looked more inhuman, leaning over his own father's dead body.

 **black eyes just seem more fitting :P**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

 _An involuntary gasp is what causes Damon to turn around and look at her. Elena's positive that the image she's seeing right now will haunt her dreams forever. Blood is dripping off his face and hands, soaking into his shirt. The beautiful blue eyes that she knows and loves have been replaced by darkness. They're pure black, just like the veins circulating under them. Razor sharp fangs are being bared at her, and the only thing Elena can do is blink. To her, Damon's never looked more inhuman, leaning over his own father's dead body_.

Elena finally comes to her senses just as she hears a low snarl come from her lover's mouth. Her mind is telling her to run, but her body apparently doesn't get the message. 'Running will only encourage him,' Elena thinks to herself. She slowly backs away and then turns on her heels, running as fast as she can. 'Encouragement be damned, I don't want to die,' Elena's mind screamed as she made it back to the Salvatore house. Unfortunately for her, Damon had speed and caught her at the door. Not giving in easily, she did the one thing she knew would hurt and kneed him in the groin. His grip loosened and she ran inside, slamming the door behind her.

Panting and out of breath, Elena sank to the ground. Her whole body was trembling. Even her breathing was shaky. Tears begin forming in her eyes when she replays what happened over and over again in her head. Knowing that she isn't an idiot, her brain makes all of the necessary connections. Elena's watched enough vampire movies to know what they look like and what they do. Stefan comes down the stairs and sees Elena crying at the door.

"Elena? Elena, what's wrong? What happened?" Stefan asks as he pulls her up off the floor and holds her in an embrace.

"Oh, god. Oh...Stefan, we were...he just...DAMN IT!" Elena's yelling at the top of her lungs while staring at the ceiling. "DAMN IT, DAMN IT, DAAAAAA-" Elena's abruptly cut off when Stefan covers her mouth with his hand.

"Elena, you need to calm down. Calm down. Tell me what happened?" Stefan asks gently, steadying Elena by her shoulders.

"H-he killed him. He's dead, Stefan. I witnessed a murder, and to hell with the consequences, right?"

"Who killed who, Elena?"

"It was Damon, okay?! Your brother killed your bastard of a father!" Elena breaks down and openly sobs into Stefan's shirt, thoroughly soaking it.

Stefan freezes, his eyes filled with fear and concern. Wordlessly, he leads Elena onto the couch, the fireplace burning mercilessly nearby.

"You're safe, Elena. Where is Damon now?"

"He chased me to the door and grabbed my wrist, so I kneed him in the crotch," Elena says while sniffling.

"Okay. I'm, uh, I'm going to open the door. Stay here." Stefan's about to walk away when Elena grabs his arm.

"What if he's still there, Stefan? I mean, you don't understand. It was Damon, but it wasn't. He was freaking feral."

"What do you mean?"

"You believe in vampires, Stefan?" Elena asks, somewhat sarcastically.

"Are you joking?"

"I wish. I can bring you to your dad's body, but...it's horrifying. There's blood everywhere."

"Yeah, we need to burn the body. No one can know about this, especially not the police," Stefan says as he gets up again and goes towards the door.

Elena hesitantly follows him, her breath hitching as Stefan slowly turns the knob. When the door is completely opened, Elena can see Damon by the cars, looking normal now, otherwise covered in blood. He's silently staring at the starry sky while tears are streaming down his face.

Elena gives Stefan a quick glance before approaching Damon who stands up. His voice cracks when he speaks due to crying. "E-Elena, I-"

She wordlessly cuts him off by wrapping her arms around him and cries into his blood-soaked shirt. Damon gingerly hugs Elena back as they both continue to cry.

Stefan takes in the scene happening in front of him. His brother who just killed their dad is embracing his girlfriend while covered in blood and they're both crying.

When they pull apart, Damon's about to speak again but Elena beats him to it. "You're a vampire, no doubt about it." When Stefan and Damon both give her looks, she shrugs. "Hey, I've seen enough vampire movies to know one when I see one. And I'm guessing you turned when you died the other night."

"Yeah...I figured that out last night when I was attempting to sleep. I kept seeing the same woman in my dreams, the one who looks exactly like you. She said that I only remember these memories when I turn, and I needed human blood to do that. Shit, Stefan...Dad, oh, god, I can't…"

Stefan squeezes Damon's shoulder. "Hey, we'll take care of it. Yes, he was our dad, but it's kind of hard to miss someone who beated their child." The brothers exchanged a silent look of understanding. "I'm going to go take care of his body, then. Uh, where'd you leave him?"

"Back behind the house, near the trees…"

After Stefan nods and walks away, Elena takes one look at Damon and shakes her head. "You need a shower. So do I. We'll get cleaned up, and then we will talk about this."

"You're not scared of me? Hell, I'd be scared of me. I kind of hate myself right now, to be honest," Damon says quietly. "Plus, the fact that I can hear the blood in your neck is freaking me out more than I'd like to admit."

Elena gives him an empathetic look. "Even if I wanted to be scared of you, it would be kind of hard, considering I've known you for most of my life. And I love you, so there's that."

Damon's eyebrows shoot up at this. "You still love me, even after seeing...what I did?"

Elena rolls her eyes. "Of course I still love you. And yes, I know, any normal person would be running for the hills by now because their boyfriend just murdered someone, but we both know that I'm not normal. Oh, and I'd say I'm sorry for kneeing you where it hurts, but I'm not. You kind of deserved it."

"Yeah, I did," Damon admits, "I was acting like an asshole, according to Stefan."

"You heard our conversation? Wow, that's...not creepy or anything. So, uh, we could keep chatting outside, soaked in blood, or we could take some showers. It's weird talking to you when your face is covered in blood."

"Right. Yeah, I definitely need one."

Elena opens the door and enters, but Damon can't get past the threshold. "Well, this is a little predicament. I can't get in."

Elena's about to say something but stops and gives an innocent smile. "Guess that means I get to shower first. I'm not sorry if all of the hot water's gone by the time you get in," Elena sings as she makes her way upstairs, "Oh, and maybe you should ask Stefan to invite you in. Not sure if it'll help, but it's logical."

Damon smiles to himself as he sits by the door and waits for Stefan to return. When he does come back, he cocks an eyebrow at Damon.

"I thought you were going to clean yourself up."

"I would if I could get in the house, but luck's not on my side. Elena said you should invite me in. Think you could help a brother out?"

"Uh, okay. Damon, please come in…?" Stefan says unsurely.

Damon attempts at entering the house again and is now able to. "Oh, thank god. I feel disgusting and Elena's using up all of the hot water as we speak." He uses his newfound speed to appear in front of Elena just as she opens the bathroom door.

Putting her hand on her heart, she mock-glares at him. "Damon, just because you got super fancy vamp speed doesn't mean you have to sneak up on me all of the time. You could cause me a heart attack, and then where would you be?"

Nodding, Damon gives her a wink, "I'd have to kill myself right then and there, 'cause I can't live without you, 'Lena."

Giving a devilish smile, Elena practically skips out of the bathroom. "I know. Have a nice cold shower, Damon!"

 _later_

Stefan, Damon, and Elena are sitting in the parlor, contemplating what to do next. Elena stands up and begins pacing.

"Vampires drink blood. Vampires burn in the sun. Vampires don't age. Vampires can't get in houses without being invited. Vampires shouldn't be real, but they sure as hell are," Elena says with a sigh, "What are we supposed to do about it?"

"No idea. It's not like there's a handbook for this," Damon quips. "I never wanted this, you know. And as much as I hated our dick of a father, I never wanted to kill him. Hell, I never wanted to kill anyone. Ever."

"How do you feel physically?" Stefan questions, looking more than a little uncomfortable.

"I don't know how to describe it. I feel like my senses are heightened. I feel stronger. I...I guess I feel hungry. But it's more like the type of hunger that can't be satiated."

"Well, that's not unsettling or anything. And before you ask, just because you're my brother and I love you doesn't mean you can tap a vein."

"I wasn't going to ask, Stef," Damon says quietly. "I really don't want this."

"You're right, I'm sorry. I know it feels like I'm overreacting, but I'm really freaking out. If vampires are real, then what else is? Werewolves? Ghosts? Zombies? Ninja turtles?"

"My mom used to tell me bedtime stories about these types of things. Of course, I was little and naive, so I didn't think much of them. Okay, it's your decision, Damon, but we need to talk to someone who knows about the supernatural, and my mom might be our best bet."

"Yeah, I guess so. We don't really have options, anyways. And I don't want to seek out the bitch who turned me."

"Okay, so it's settled. Stefan, you look like you could use some sleep. Damon and I can take care of this while you rest, if you want." Elena asks gently.

"I think that'd be a good idea. Sorry, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that my brother died in the first place," Stefan admits, looking a little embarrassed.

"We all are. It's hard, I know, but we'll figure out a way for everyone to get through this."

Damon and Elena arrive at her home. She gestures for him to stay put and slowly opens the door. The faint light coming from the living room told Elena that her mom had fallen asleep with the TV on. Miranda cracks an eye open and sees Elena and Damon standing at the door.

"Honey? What are you guys doing up so late? It's like...three in the morning."

"I, uh, we wanted to talk to you about something," Elena says, running a hand through her hair. "It's kind of really important."

"Alright, I'm going to need some tea to listen. You know where the mugs are, Elena. You too, Damon."

Elena nods and steps into the house while Damon awkwardly waits by the door. Miranda notices this and slightly narrows her eyes.

"Damon, what are you doing? It's cold outside."

"Uh, I know, but I don't want to, um, track dirt into the house," Damon lies. He rubs his neck, clearly uncomfortable.

"Don't bother, Grayson and Jeremy do it all of the time. Come in and close the door, it's freezing."

Damon steps inside and closes the door behind him. He hesitantly sits down at the kitchen table while waiting for Elena and Miranda make tea. After pouring tea into three mugs, Miranda hands Damon his and Elena takes hers. With the three of them sitting down, Elena clears her throat.

"Okay...I don't exactly know how to bring this up," Elena admits, sipping the hot tea, which calms her nerves a bit.

"Wait, are you two getting married?" Miranda asks excitedly, sipping her tea as well.

"What? Heh, mom, I'm only eighteen." Elena squeaks out, her cheeks flushing pink.

"Oh, fine. So, what did you want to tell me?"

As Elena struggles to find a way to bring the topic up, Damon takes a sip of the tea but immediately coughs it back out, his mouth burning.

Alarmed, Elena stands up and puts a hand on his shoulder. "Oh my god, are you okay? Was it too hot for you? Did you get burnt?" Elena fires off questions as Miranda clears her throat.

"It's not the temperature, Elena. We both had the tea, and it wasn't scalding. I think I know what you're trying to tell me. Your boyfriend's a vampire." Miranda says, her mouth set in a thin line with a cold look in her eyes.

Both Elena and Damon's eyes shoot up at this statement. Neither of them say anything, which confirms Miranda's predictions.

"So it's true, then? You were turned. Who did it?"

"Wait, wait, wait. Mom, what just happened? Why did the tea burn him?"

"Vervain. Poisonous to vampires, but it protects humans from their compulsion."

"Okay, hold up. First of all," Damon starts while holding the mug up, "you're saying that you tried poisoning me? And second, I don't know what the hell compulsion is."

Miranda grabs Elena's arm and forces her to the opposite side of the table, away from Damon. "Elena, stay away from him."

Scoffing, Elena shrugs her mother's hold on her arm off. "Look, I know vampires are dangerous, but you don't need to coddle me. I'm not scared of Damon."

"You should be. They're monsters, all of them."

"Mom-" Elena attempts to reason with her but Miranda interrupts.

"I don't know any vampire who hasn't killed anybody in their life. Damon, have you killed anyone?"

Damon casts his eyes downward and Miranda nods. "See? They're bad news. You need to stay away from him."

"God, Mom, stop it." Elena rips her arm away. "Okay, stop grouping vampires together as monsters. And stop talking about Damon like he's not in the room with us."

"Elena, you don't even know half of what happens around town. We've been protecting you children for most of your lives. There is an evil which knows no bounds. You're lucky your father's not up. He'd have Damon staked before he had the chance to realize what's going on."

Elena can feel the waves of tension rolling off of Damon so she moves around the table and takes his hand. He squeezes it back gently.

"I trust him, Mom. And I really don't care what you say, because I still love him."

"And that, Elena, that will be your downfall. Answer me this question. How long has it been since he turned? Since he died?" Miranda spits out.

"I don't know, it hasn't been long at all. One day, maybe? Why do you care?" Elena grumbles.

"So he hasn't been a vampire long enough to have control over his urges. When vampires see blood, they will go for the kill. That's all here is to it."

"Stop looking at everything in black and white! Okay, I get it, I'm an idiot, but so be it."

Miranda wordlessly takes a knife from a drawer and waves it. "You want proof?" She cuts her hand without warning and warm blood oozes out. Damon's nostrils flare at the scent and his eyes darken, fangs elongated and bared. He rushes at Miranda who's prepared with the vervain tea, splashing it in his face.

"What the hell?!" Damon yells as the vervain burns his skin. Miranda gives Elena a pointed look.

"Like I said, you need to stay away from all vampires. There's so much that you don't know."

"I know you see all vampires as monsters, but I still see Damon the same way. The same loving and sweet Damon I grew up with."

"That'll change. They all change," Miranda says quietly. "Look, despite everything that I just told you, I do like you, Damon. You were a good kid and my daughter was head over heels for you. I hope you understand why I'm expressing so much concern and disdain. I don't want her getting hurt."

Damon nods, "I'll try my hardest not to hurt Elena. You know how much I love her."

Miranda sadly smiles, "I know. But if you do hurt her, don't think that I won't hunt you down and stake you. I'm sorry that I can't be of any more help to you, but Damon, you might want to get something to protect yourself from the sun." She says before heading upstairs.

Elena turns to Damon and plays with the family ring on his finger. "So...that went as well as it could've, huh? I didn't know how she felt about vampires. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. At least we got her opinion about how she feels about me."

"Well, I still love you," Elena says, biting her lip slightly.

Wrapping his arms around her, Damon contently sighs. "You really shouldn't. Apparently, I'm going to end up ripping out your heart."

As he pulls her closer, he suddenly pulls away, putting a hand on the skin below his collarbone. Elena peers at it, noticing the red burn mark.

"What happened?"

Damon eyes Elena's necklace and cautiously touches it, which results in him getting burnt again. Wincing, he pulls his fingers away. "It's your necklace. It burnt me."

Elena fingers it and a look of disbelief crosses her face. "So it's filled with vervain, which means that your mother knew about vampires."

Damon's eyes widen and he blows out an angry breath. "God, how much did our parents lie to us? I feel like no one told us the truth when we were younger."

"There's nothing we can do about it now. Do you want me to take it off?"

Damon shakes his head no. "No, even though it hurts me, I like seeing you wear my mother's jewelry. Plus, it was for your birthday, so please keep it on," Damon says, smiling gently.

Elena responds with a smile of her own. "Okay, I will. I'll just take care to keep it tucked in my shirt so there won't be any contact. Look, the sun is rising and my mom said that you need protection from it. Otherwise, I'm sure you'll end up a pile of ashes. There's only one other person that I can think of who might be able to help. You should probably stay in my room, close all of the curtains and lock the door." Elena reaches for his hand and takes off his gigantic ring.

"Where are you going? And what're you doing with my ring?" Damon asks curiously.

"Bonnie's grandmother's house. Like she told me all of high school, she's a witch, hmm? I'm hoping she'll be able to help with our sunlight problem and answer any questions." Elena says with sarcastic enthusiasm and a wink. "I'll be back soon."


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Elena makes her way to Sheila's door. She bangs the large brass knocker on the door and waits patiently outside. After a minute, Bonnie comes to the door and opens it.

"Elena? Hey, what's up? What're you doing here?" Bonnie asked as she embraced her best friend.

Elena grimaces as she contemplates on how to spill that how boyfriend's a vampire without being laughed at. Thankfully, Sheila comes up behind Bonnie and looks at Elena.

"Child, you look more stressed than ever. Come in, I can tell that we need to have a chat," Sheila remarks as she looks Elena over.

Elena steps in the house and immediately gets hit by the strong scent of chamomile and honey. Taking a deep breath, she follows Bonnie and Sheila to the living room. Elena sits on the couch next to Bonnie and stares at the ground.

"Now, dear, you've come over here for a reason, and I can sense that it's just not to hang out with Bonnie. Would you like to tell me what's going on?" Sheila asks kindly.

Clearing her throat, she avoids eye contact and stares at the random knick-knacks scattered on the coffee table. "For a while, I've never believed in the supernatural. You know, I was all 'I have to see it to believe it', and that always worked out for me. But a couple of days ago, I'm pretty sure my mind exploded."

Chucking slightly, Sheila offers Elena a cup of coffee. "You look like you could use some of this. And before you ask, no, I don't poison my drinks with vervain."

Elena's eyes flick up to Sheila's and she breathes a sigh of relief. "I'm glad that you seem to know about this, my reasoning for why I came over."

"Well, as my granddaughter likes to say, we're practically psychic. But in real terms, we're witches."

Bonnie seems disbelieving at that particular statement. "Grams, I can't tell if you're joking or not. Surely there's no such thing as witches and we just live in a world of coincidences…"

"If that were the case, Bonnie, life would be a whole lot easier. Contrary to your belief, we are real witches. One of the many supernatural entities out there. Elena came to talk about another one, didn't you?"

Nodding, Elena begins with a question, "I was wondering this...what do you call someone who looks exactly like you? As in same face, same body?"

"That would be a doppelgänger, dear. You've seen one, haven't you?"

While Bonnie looks completely lost, Elena nods. "Yeah, she looked exactly like me. I don't know how to explain how eerie it was to see my face stare back at me."

"I agree, doppelgängers are headscratchers, yes? If she had your face, then it must've been Katherine Pierce."

"Okay, well, the other day, this Katherine woman killed my boyfriend, Damon." Elena says nonchalantly, glancing at Bonnie whose mouth just dropped.

"Oh my god! Okay, I may not understand what you two are talking about, but did you just say Damon's dead?" Bonnie practically shrieks, covering her mouth with shaking hands.

"No, I didn't say Damon's dead. I just said that Katherine killed him."

"Elena, stop talking in riddles. Is Damon dead or not?"

"Yes and no, Bon. Middle of the line, really, he's a vampire." Elena says as Bonnie gapes at her.

"Like a real-life Dracula? Bloodsucking, pale, walks around with a weird cape kind of thing?" Bonnie asks, wide-eyed.

"No, he's still the same good-looking Damon. I don't know, maybe he's a little paler. But anyways, Miss Sheila, I was wondering if you could help me. Uh, we're kind of floundering about what to do. I know he needs blood, but there are so many unanswered questions."

Noting Bonnie's expression, Sheila gives her a reassuring nod and continues on, "Ask away, dear. I'll try to answer what I can."

"Wait, wait, wait. Vampires, doppelgängers, witches?! Grams, what's going on?" Bonnie inquires desperately.

"Bonnie, my dear, all of your beliefs, everything that you've thought is now about to change. Now, go on, Elena."

"Okay, my first question is how does someone become a vampire?"

"It's a process. First, the person consume ingest vampire blood, and they must have it in the their system when they die. The person will reawaken a couple hours later and they'll need human blood to complete the transition."

"What happens if they don't…?"

"Then said person will die. Kill or be killed, that's their motto. When transitioning from human to vampire, they will regain all memories lost to compulsion."

"My mom said something about compulsion and how vervain protects humans from it. What is it?"

"A type of mind-control, really. Any vampire can do it as long as the victim isn't wearing or ingested vervain. Once compelled, humans are at the vampire's mercy, and it's nearly impossible to resist it. Only other supernatural creatures are immune to it completely."

Nervously, Elena swallows and begins to finger her necklace. "My necklace is filled with vervain. Damon got burnt when he touched it and when my mom threw her cup of vervain tea at him."

Suddenly, Sheila bursts out laughing. "Oh my lord, my apologies, but that definitely sounds like Miranda. She isn't a fan of the vampire species. And yes, vervain hurts vampires, and it weakens them immensely if it's breathed in or consumed."

"Okay. So, uh, how do you kill a vampire?" Elena asks quietly.

Chuckling, Sheila takes a sip of her coffee. "You're not planning on offing your boyfriend, are you?" When Elena shakes her head no while trying to suppress a smile, Sheila continues, "Vampires are immortal. They can't die of age or any man-made weapon. Guns, knives, they won't work. You could decapitate one or remove their heart, since these things can't regenerate. The most common way of killing a vampire is staking them with wood or burning them in the sun. Setting them on fire works just as well."

"Speaking of, do you think you could do a spell on Damon's ring to make him immune to sunlight?" Elena pulls out his ring from her pocket that's engraved with his initials, D.S.

"The man you speak of seems to have a pure soul and heart. In that case, yes, I will do that for you. We would do good to finish the questions, though."

"Do vampires have to survive off of human blood?" Elena asks, nervous once again.

"They must survive off blood, yes, but it doesn't have to be human. Animal blood, for example, is a good replacement but doesn't allow the same perks that human blood does. They'd be weaker, so compulsion wouldn't work as well, strength would diplinish, and they'd be slower. Most vampires can't stand the taste of animal blood, so they turn to blood bags. It's still human blood but they're not taking it directly from the vein. Their morality stays intact."

"What if they don't get blood for a certain amount of time?"

"If it's a long period, then that'll result in starvation which will lead into desiccation if not satiated. Desiccation is kind of like a hunger-induced type coma, so when they get fed, they'll wake up."

"There's no cure for vampirism, is there?"

"None that's documented. I'm sorry, but vampires can't procreate either."

Elena's eyes widen and she turns to Bonnie who squeezes her hand. "I'm sorry, Elena. I know how much you wanted a family."

After waving her hand dismissively, she runs it through her hair. "I'll get over it. I want children, but pushing a baby out doesn't sound fun. Honestly, I'd love to adopt a baby…" Elena says wistfully before snapping back. "Sorry, I'm drifting. So, no cure, no kids. Uh, Damon was very...pissy before he completed the transition. What's the deal with that…?"

"All emotions in vampires are heightened. Sadness becomes depression, guilt becomes remorse, anger becomes rage, but when they love, they love."

"I don't know if I should see that as a good thing or bad…"

"Some vampires can live with heightened emotions, but they become the downfall of others."

"What do you mean? Like they could fall off the deep end?"

"Yes. And when it becomes too much, they turn it off. It's like a switch they can flip in their brain. It's all there and then, poof, every emotion disappears. Emotions are what keep the humanity in vampires. When their humanity goes, they become monsters."

Elena shudders, "I'll keep that in mind. Is there a way to force it back on?"

"There are ways to coax them back, but sometimes you have to be harsh. They won't care about anyone or anything. Make sure you keep your man away from such evil."

Elena nods, "I'll try my hardest. Is there anything else I should know?"

"Hmm. Vampire blood has a healing ability. It's what causes them to heal so rapidly, and it can be shared with humans, which in turn does the same."

"Oh, that's good. With all of this vampire knowledge, I was a little afraid that there would be few positives."

"Be warned, blood sharing can be very personal if you allow it to be."

"Personal, as in…?"

"Intimate."

With her arm propped up to support her head, Bonnie manages to roll her eyes and wink at Elena. "Fantastic for you and Damon, huh?"

Blushing, Elena closes her eyes and finishes up her coffee. Bonnie scoots closer to Elena and puts an arm over her shoulder.

"What does Stefan think about all of this?"

"He's a little freaked out, and I can't blame him. Honestly, this stuff is really overwhelming. Wrapping my mind around the fact that Damon's dead, but he's not was hard enough. And now all of this information?" Elena lets out a humorless chuckle and buries her face in Bonnie's hair.

"I know it's a lot to digest, child, but think about what he's going through. He's alone in this because vampires aren't extremely common in Mystic Falls anymore."

Elena's head pops up, "Anymore? You're saying that they were common here once?"

Sheila nods, "Yes, but that's a story for another time. Just...comfort him. Let him know that he's loved and he doesn't have to go through this by himself."

Elena smiles gratefully, "Thank you, Miss Sheila. I know I probably wasted a day with my stupid questions…"

"Nonsense. I'm happy to help."

"How exactly do you know all of this stuff, anyways? Heh, it's not like I can google it."

"Sometimes, it's good to do your homework in a town called Mystic Falls. Being cautious and knowing your neighbors is a good way to survive. Now, may I see the ring so I can work my magic?"

Elena takes the ring back out and hands it to Sheila who examines it closely. "Ah, this is Lapis Lazuli. Perfect." She sets the ring on the table and begins to chant in words that Elena couldn't understand. When she finishes, she hands it back to Elena who pockets it.

"Was that it? You just...spelled it?" Bonnie wonders in amazement.

"Heh, I did, child. You'll learn soon."

Flashing another smile, Elena stands up. "Thank you again, Miss Sheila, for everything. Your help is greatly appreciated. I should probably get back now since I have Damon locked in my room with every curtain closed."

"Hey, Elena, mind if I tag along? It's not that...I'm just have the same reasoning as you. Gotta see it to believe it."

"Sure, Bon. Just, uh, please don't get scared of him. I know you guys are practically best friends, but…"

"Don't worry, 'Lena, I'll keep it together. Calm, cool, and collected. I'll see you later, Grams!"

"Bye, dears. Be careful out there. It's more dangerous than you know."

"We will."

—

When Elena and Bonnie arrive at her house, Elena looks at the bandaid on Bonnie's hand. "Uh, you might want to shove your hand in a pocket or something. He's still learning to control the urges."

Folding her hands in her hoodie, Bonnie nervously smiles, "Got it. It looks like no one but Jeremy's home, since his car is the only one here."

Elena gushes at Bonnie and bats her eyelashes, "Aww, your crush is here! C'mon, Bon, don't pretend that you didn't know that I knew. You guys would be amazing together, and I happen to know some things, so if you ever-"

Bonnie laughs and cuts Elena off by putting her hand over her mouth. "I'll hold you to that, never. Now, let's go see Damon, hmm?"

Agreeing, Elena and Bonnie step inside the house and see Jeremy watching TV in the living room. He sees them and gives a friendly wave, mostly looking at Bonnie. She blushes and hurries up the stairs while Elena gives him a knowing look and a thumbs up.

Following Bonnie, they make it to Elena's bedroom, stopping right outside the door. Noticing that it's still locked, Elena knocks lightly on the door. They patiently wait for Damon to open the door, which he does after a few minutes. Looking like he just woke up with his perfectly disheveled hair and iridescent blue eyes, Elena thought he was even better looking than usual.

Damon's eyes brightened even more, if that was even possible, at the sight of Bonnie and Elena. "Hello, my two favorite ladies," Damon says while flashing his blinding smile. Bonnie glances at Elena and then back at Damon.

"Hey, Damon. How've you been?" Bonnie asks, feeling relieved that Damon still looked and acted like himself.

"Now that is a good question. I've been better, but you know how life goes. Is this even considered life anymore? I don't know."

Elena smiles and wraps her arms around Damon's neck, passionately kissing him. He responds eagerly while Bonnie watches, wishing she had the guts to go sit with Jeremy.

"Bonnie, you gotta man up if you want a chance with Little Gilbert," Damon says after him and Elena break the kiss.

Bonnie's eyes widen and she blushes, "Heh, did you do vampire mind-reading or something?"

Chuckling, Damon shakes his head. "I can read you like an open book, Bon-Bon. You looked awkward and longing at the same time there. Plus, everyone knows you have a crush on him. It's practically common knowledge. Well, except for him, who acts stupidly oblivious most of the time."

Bonnie smiles genuinely back at Damon, "Never change, Damon. Never change."

"Heh, don't plan on it. Now, are we just going to stand in the hallway and talk, or are we going to get to the juicy gossip?"

The three of them step back into Elena's room. Elena somehow manages to trip on a shoe that was in the middle of the floor. Before she can hit the ground, Damon's standing there, bracing her. When she looks up at him, she can tell he's trying not to laugh. Giving into her own embarrassment, Elena laughs herself.

"Haha, well, a clumsy person plus a messy room never bodes well. Sorry for inconveniencing you a trip over here." Elena quips, and then she realizes what she said, "No pun intended."

"Riiight, like I believe that. Puns are always intended with you, 'Lena." Damon states, stifling back his own laugh.

Bonnie looks between the two and gushes, "Oh, you two are freaking adorable! Now you're really making me contemplate my relationship with Jeremy."

"What're best friends for, Bon? Honestly, you'd be the best thing to ever happen to Jeremy. No exaggeration."

"Uh-huh. Can we open the curtains in here? I feel like I'm going to fall over my own feet, it's so dark."

"Yep, we can. Damon, here's your ring back. You should be able to walk outside and not turn into a pile of ashes now. Yay!" Elena giggles while slipping the ring back onto his finger.

"I think a test is in order, hmm? Lemme just do the grand flourish here…" Damon grabs the curtains and pulls them open. Still standing intact, Damon turns around smirking. "Well, I'm not barbecued, so Sheila gets major points for that. Bon-Bon, are you a witch too?"

"I could call myself a witch-to-be. I've practically been psychic all of high school, but now that I know what's real, I think I'm ready to be a witch." Bonnie says while absentmindedly cleaning up Elena's room.

Damon's head whips around when he smells the blood from under Bonnie's bandage. Slowly inhaling, Damon twiddles his thumbs as his eyes darken slightly, "Mm, Bonica Magica, you really cut yourself there."

Not noticing Damon's change in attitude, Bonnie continues rearranging Elena's vanity. "First of all, that nickname sucks. 'Bonica Magica'? Pretty lame. Never use it again."

"Noted," Damon says as veins appear under his eyes. Elena notices and tries alleviating the tension by caressing his hands and whispering to him.

"Yeah, I did cut myself pretty good the other day when I was attempting to use a letter opener. Don't ever give me one of those, because I'm pretty sure they could be used as a medieval torture device. It hurt like-" Bonnie abruptly stops talking when she remembers that blood triggers Damon. Turning around, she's relieved that Elena has it under control.

With his eyes closed, Damon sighs contently as Elena continues playing with his hands. As soon as Elena stops, his eyes snap open, completely back to normal.

Sheepishly smiling, Bonnie shoves her hand back into the hoodie pocket. "Sorry, my bad. I kind of forgot, as stupid as that sounds."

"No harm, no foul, Bonica-" Damon shuts his mouth as soon as he sees Bonnie's raised eyebrow.

Rolling her eyes, Bonnie lets out a laugh, "Never again, Damon."

"Sure, sure, whatever helps you sleep at night. Speaking of, do you still sleep with Miss-" Damon ends up getting cut off by Bonnie throwing Elena's hairbrush at him, which he ends up catching. "Ooh, Bon-Bon's violent. I'm guessing that would be a yes to sleeping with Miss Cuddles?"

Laughing at Bonnie's reaction, Elena pats her on the back, "No worries, we know every single one of your embarrassing secrets. I won't let any out of the bag to Jeremy, but I can't promise the same thing about Damon over there."

"Well, 'Lena, considering the fact that I'm staring straight at your own teddy bear on your bed, I think that proves my point without saying stuffed animals are the best sleeping buddies."

Wiggling his eyebrows, Damon smirks, "Agree to disagree on that one. I at least hope that I'm a better bed-buddy than Mr. Cuddles over there," He says, nudging Elena with his elbow. She responds by poking Damon in the bicep and goes over to pick up Mr. Cuddles."

"Agree to disagree on this one, Damon?" Elena says, returning the smirk.

—

 **let me know if I should continue posting this story :P it'll get a lot more emotional later on. it's fun to write either way**


	8. Chapter 7

**kind of a filler chapter, let me know what you think**

 **Chapter Seven**

After spilling everything they learned from Sheila to Damon, well, almost everything, the three of them are relaxing in Elena's room.

"Well, ladies, can't say that I didn't immensely enjoy spending this evening with you. It's been informative, to say the least. As much as I dread getting up right now, I hate to admit that I'm getting a tad hungry."

"Guess we're going to have to get you food then, huh?" Elena says as she stretches and stands up. "Now that you mention it, I'm hungry too. And tired. I don't think I've slept in a long while. That means if I faint, it's your duty to carry me home, Damon. I'm counting on you," Elena quips, failing at keeping her smile hidden.

"Oh, it'll be my honor to carry thy beautiful princess home. Bon-Bon, you good with getting food?"

"I've been good with that for an hour, but you two just wouldn't shut up," Bonnie jokes and elbows Damon.

"What? It's not my fault Elena has a big mouth. Honestly, she just kept going on and on and-" Elena manages to effectively cut Damon off by jumping onto his back and slapping his mouth shut.

"Alright, onward, my good man. Don't let thy ladies wait."

"I'm not your chariot, Miss Gilbert, but I'll make an exception just this once. Let's be off, Missus?"

Bonnie rolls her eyes at her two best friends. "I feel like the only normal person here. Hurry up, you idiots, I'm hungry," Bonnie yells as she runs out of the room and out the front door.

"Hold on tight, Miss Gilbert," Damon says with a smirk as he speeds down the stairs and out the door just as Bonnie gets in the car.

When Elena gets off of Damon's back, her eyes are shining brightly. "Oh, my god, that was awesome! You, Damon, have to do that more often," Elena exclaims and then she gives Damon a peck on the lips.

"Your wish is my command," Damon says, grinning to himself.

Bonnie grumbles as she starts the car after Elena and Damon get in. "I sure feel like a third wheel on a date. My best friends are making goo-goo eyes at each other in the backseat while I'm the freaking chauffeur."

"Well, I'll have you know that the third wheel is the most important wheel on a tricycle. We're a tricycle, Bon-Bon!"

Elena pecks Bonnie on the cheek, "Wouldn't want to leave you out of the excitement, hmm?"

Bonnie sticks her tongue out and starts driving to the hospital.

—

When they arrive at their destination, Damon looks slightly confused. "Did I miss the memo? Why are we at the hospital?"

Chuckling at her boyfriend's cluelessness, Elena says "You said you were hungry, we're gonna get you food. No people feeding, just blood bags."

"Oh, right, I'm on a blood diet now. Trying to lose weight, you know?"

"Totally. But you have to stay in the car. You going all vampire-postal in the hospital wouldn't be too good. So, we'll be back." Elena gives Damon a kiss on the cheek before her and Bonnie get out of the car.

When they enter the hospital, Bonnie turns to Elena curiously. "When we were telling Damon everything we learned from Grams, why didn't you mention anything about the humanity switch?"

"If worse comes to worst, I don't want Damon to think that flipping his switch is the only option. Things could get bad, Bon. Sure, they're really good now, but I'm just preparing."

Nodding, Bonnie continues walking with Elena beside her. "Right, that makes sense. So, uh, where exactly are the blood bags? And how are we going to get them…?"

Skidding to a halt, Elena looks around. "I've got a family friend around here...and she's right over there." Elena walks over to the female doctor with Bonnie following close behind.

"Hey, Meredith."

"Oh, hi, Elena. What brings you here today? Nothing's the matter, I hope."

"I just have a friend who could use some O-positive," Elena says nonchalantly.

Bonnie's eyes widen at how blunt Elena was and she's even more shocked when Dr. Fell agrees without question.

"Right this way. We've actually got a lot of donors this year, so our bank is pretty stocked up. More blood means more people that can be saved, right?"

"Mhm," Elena replies without looking Dr. Fell in the eyes.

"Here we are. How many pints do you need?" Dr. Fell questions. When Elena holds up five fingers, she receives five bags of blood.

"Thank you, Meredith. I really appreciate the gesture and so will he," Elena says gratefully.

"Of course, Elena. Call me anytime you need blood, I'll be happy to help," Dr. Fell replies before walking off.

When she's out of earshot, Bonnie turns to Elena, confusion evident in her eyes. "Does she know about vampires? She didn't even question it…"

"I'm not sure if Meredith knows about vampires or not. You know that my dad's a doctor too, so he's always asking for blood to transfuse. I'm guessing that's what Meredith assumed. And yes, Bonnie, before you say anything, I feel bad that we're practically stealing it from the hospital."

"I know there's nothing else we can do, but it kind of sucks, you know?" When she sees Elena's grin, Bonnie says, "Yes, pun intended."

When Elena and Bonnie make it back to the car, they see Damon sprawled out on the backseat. He immediately opens the door and gets out after noticing that they'd returned.

"One for you," Elena says, holding a blood bag out to him.

He grabs the bag and grimaces. "I know drinking blood should be disgusting, but it's even more disgusting that I think it looks delicious. Ugh," Damon shudders. He opens the tube and begins sipping the blood, closing his eyes in satisfaction while veins become visible under his eyes.

While Damon's drinking the blood, Elena turns to Bonnie who can't stop staring at him. She finally gets Bonnie's attention after snapping in her face a couple times.

"Sorry, it's just weird to see him...never mind."

"Yeah, it's a little weird. Uh, I was just wondering if you had any idea where I should keep these? They need refrigerated but it'd be really weird if they were kept in my fridge…"

"Use a cooler. They're portable," Bonnie says with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Good idea. I guess I'll just...keep them in the trunk for now."

While Elena opens the trunk, Damon finishes up the blood bag and reopens his eyes, causing Bonnie to gasp. She's never seen him in his actual vampire form, so sue her if she's a little freaked out.

Elena returns to where Bonnie and Damon are. Seeing that Bonnie's initial reaction is fear, Elena sighs and takes the empty blood bag from Damon's hand.

"Bonnie, can you go throw that away?" Elena hands it to Bonnie who happily takes it and looks for a garbage can.

Turning to Damon, she sees that he's shifting his weight from one foot to the other, which he only does when he's uncomfortable. His face isn't completely back to normal so Elena grabs his hands and traces patterns on them with her thumbs. Gradually, he calms down enough to look human again.

"Did I scare her?" Damon asks quietly, not willing to let go of Elena's hands just yet.

"No, you didn't. She's a little freaked out, but Bonnie's not scared of you. You know how tough she is," Elena murmurs.

"Okay…" Damon mumbles, not entirely sure if he believes that.

When Bonnie returns, she gives Damon a reassuring look before getting into the car. Elena and Damon silently get into the backseat, their hands still interlocked.

—-

By the time they make it to the Grill, most of the tension in the car eased. Although Damon's still holding onto Elena for dear life, his face is more relaxed. Bonnie practically runs inside and sits down at a table immediately. When Elena and Damon get there, Bonnie had already decided on what she wanted.

"God, you guys are so slow! Here I am, dying of starvation, and you two are just taking your grand 'ol time," Bonnie exclaims with a hint of annoyance.

"Pfft, yeah, Damon, stop walking so slow."

"I'm not the one who wanted to pet the friendly lady's dog," Damon retorts.

"It was cute and you know it, Damon," Elena mutters back indignantly.

"Ah, I think someone's grumpy because they're hungry and exhausted."

"Congratulations, genius, you've figured it out."

Their friend, Matt, who works there makes his way over. "Hey, guys. How's it going?"

"Oh, it's going, alright. I feel like my head's gonna drill through the ground, Matt," Elena says with her forehead resting on the table.

"Eh, she's just being dramatic because of hunger and tiredness. We'll have two cheeseburgers with fries, please," Bonnie tells Matt with a smile.

"Nothing for you, Damon?" Matt questions.

"Oh, nah, I already ate." Damon states awkwardly.

"Okay, I'll be right back with your orders." Matt ruffles Elena's hair and walks away.

By the time Matt returns, Damon and Bonnie are sure that Elena fell asleep on the table.

"Alright, guys, here are-"

Matt's cut off by both of their shushes, not wanting to disturb Elena since waking her up will only make her more grouchy.

"We'll take her food to go," Bonnie whispers as she begins eating her meal. "Don't want to wake up Sleeping Beauty."

"Hah, yeah, learned from experience. I'll bring you guys a box." Matt leaves again as Bonnie continues stuffing her face.

"My, my, Bon-Bon, you weren't lying when you said you were starving. How the hell did you finish everything already? You must have-"

"I know what you're going to say, Salvatore, and no, I do not have a big mouth. The simple equation is a hungry Bonnie plus food equals an empty plate in less than five minutes."

"Right, of course. Well, since you're finished and Donovan's bringing the box over now, we should probably get going."

Damon scrapes Elena's food into the box that Matt dropped off and eyes Bonnie. She sighs and picks up the food while Damon carries Elena out to the car.

"I'm probably going to stay over at Elena's tonight. Are you…?" Bonnie asks, cocking her head.

"I'll bring her inside, but I think I'm going to go home. Stefan and I have a lot to talk about, so if Elena asks, that's where I'll be."

Bonnie nods and they drive home in silence. When they pull up at the house, Damon picks Elena up and carries her inside, gently placing her on the bed. After giving her a light kiss on the forehead, he leaves the house, winking to Bonnie on the way out.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Elena and Bonnie are cooking breakfast the next day in Elena's kitchen. While Bonnie was pouring orange juice, Elena continuously flipped the same pancake.

"Have you talked to Caroline recently?" Elena wondered as she flipped the pancake once more before dropping it onto a plate.

"Yeah, we hung out the other day. There's nothing too new with her. She mostly just talked about her crush on Stefan and how she's too chicken to pursue him."

Handing Bonnie her pancake, Elena adds, "Well, I can't say that you two don't have anything in common. Come on, Bonnie, tell me when you're gonna make a move on Jeremy."

"When I grow a pair, 'Lena, which is never going to happen."

"Ugh, Bonnie, you're a freaking witch! Jeremy would think that you're the coolest person ever!"

"Elena, why're you playing matchmaker all of a sudden? I mean, it's something I would've expected from Caroline, but not you," Bonnie quips, taking a large chunk off her pancake and shoving it into her mouth.

"I'm not playing matchmaker, I'm merely pushing you in the right direction. For example, tonight, you, Jeremy, Caroline, Stefan, Damon, and I are all going on a triple date. As in we're all going to hang out at the Salvatore house and try to get you couples alone."

"What? Elena, that's just a disaster waiting to happen," Bonnie laughs, sipping her orange juice. "Plus, Caroline doesn't know what Damon is. Do you think that'll bode well?"

"Live a little, Bon. Take some risks, stop making excuses for something you really want. Let me do this," Elena practically pleads with a smile.

Coming to the conclusion that Elena's stubbornness will win out, Bonnie reluctantly agrees. "Fine, fine. It's a date."

Grinning ear to ear, Elena takes out her phone, "Fantastic. You go ask Jeremy out, and I'll call Caroline to let her know to come over to the boarding house around six."

"What have I gotten myself into?" Bonnie mutters to herself quietly. She makes her way up to Jeremy's room and knocks on the door.

"Come in!"

Hesitantly, Bonnie steps into his room and plasters a confident smile on her face. "You, me, boarding house, six o'clock."

Eyes widening, Jeremy flashes a grin, "Bonnie, are you asking me out on a date?"

"More or less. It's actually a triple date that Elena's setting up, and she won't take no for an answer."

"Works for me. I'll take what I can get, Bon," Jeremy chuckles. "Did you want me to pick you up, or…?"

"Nah, I'll convenience you by staying here until it's time to go. Keep in mind that it might all end in disaster."

"So it's a triple date with you and me, Elena and Damon, and…"

"Caroline and Stefan," Bonnie confesses.

"Woah, Caroline's into Stefan?"

"He's better than Tyler."

"Let's be honest, anyone's better than Tyler for Caroline. He can be a real dick."

"Agreed. So...six?"

"Six. Lighten up, Bennett, I like you," Jeremy admits with a laugh.

Blushing, Bonnie nods and exits the room, descending down the stairs just as Elena finishes up a call.

"So, I just got off the phone with Caroline and she practically squealed at the idea of a triple date, especially with Stefan." Elena says as she dials Damon's number.

"Hi," Elena says in a flirtatious voice once he picks up.

"Ooh, it sounds like someone's in a good mood. I take it you had a good night's sleep?" Damon replies, equally flirty.

"Mm, I did. You were true to your word when you said you'd carry me home, so thank you."

"Oh, it was my pleasure."

"So, I was calling to let you know that we're having a triple date tonight. And it's going to be at your house," Elena adds, "I thought it'd be a good idea to let you know."

"And who would the other couples be that are joining us, hmm?" Damon questions in his silky-smooth voice.

"Bonnie and Jeremy, for one."

"Finally! Bon-Bon decided to take a risk and ask him out?"

"More like I forced her to, but it all worked out. And the other couple will be Stefan and Caroline."

"Even better! Stef's had a bit of a crush on her since we were kids."

"Great! Caroline's got a crush on him too. So, I guess let Stefan know that he's got a date with her and the three of them will be over at six o'clock."

"And when will you be over?" Damon inquires while wiggling his eyebrows.

"Right now, if you want."

"Oh, I want, all right. Come on over, 'Lena, it'll make my day," Damon says in a sing-song voice.

"I'll be right there."

"Can't wait," Damon replies huskily before cheerily saying, "Bye, now!"

When Elena hangs up, Bonnie looks over at her with narrowed eyes. "You're leaving me alone in the house with Jeremy?"

"Ah, relax, Bon. He's my brother, he won't bite. It might do you two some good, eh? I'll see you at six," Elena states before leaving the house.

—

Elena arrives at the boarding house, and she's about to knock when the door swings open, revealing a smirking Damon.

"I've been expecting you." Damon's leaning against the doorframe in his dark blue button-up shirt.

"Have you, now? Perfect." Elena practically tackles Damon and he wraps his arms around her waist as they crash their lips together.

When they break apart, Elena sees Stefan over Damon's shoulder. She cheerfully waves, "Oh, hi, Stef! How are you?"

"I'm good, Elena. And I guess I should be thankful for you setting up this date with Caroline."

"Of course. Don't think I didn't notice how you two stare at each other. You guys would be really cute together."

Blushing, Stefan nods and turns his gaze to Damon. "Brother, no embarrassing stories, I beg you."

"Hah, no promises, Stefan. Now run along and get ready for your date with Caroline and two other couples."

"Jeremy and Bonnie aren't a couple. Yet," Elena says with a subtle wink.

—

At exactly six o'clock, the doorbell rings. Stefan was back in his bedroom, and Elena was lounging on the couch with Damon, watching TV.

Removing Damon's arm from around her shoulders, she gives him a pointed look. "Your house, your door, you answer."

"But you were the one who invited them. And plus, it's practically your house too."

"Are these just excuses so you don't have to get up? Because they're pretty poor. Answer the door, lazy-ass," Elena replies with a smile and a slight push.

"Fine, fine. Sheesh, bossypants. Don't say I never did anything for you," Damon sang as he walked over to the door. Opening it, he's greeted by the faces of Bonnie, Jeremy, and Caroline.

"Bon-Bon, Little Gilbert, and Blondie! So nice of you guys to grace us with your presence. Come on in." Damon steps aside to allow them in and then closes the door. "Stefan, come out here! Your girlfriend-to-be is waiting for you!" Damon yells up the stairs.

Caroline's face turns a shade of crimson as she turns to Elena.

"Sorry about him, he doesn't know when to shut up."

"Ah, no, I fully expected Damon to say something along the lines of that. No harm, because he's actually speaking the truth," Caroline says with a wink.

When Stefan descends down the stairs, Damon rolls his eyes at him. "Took you long enough, brother. Your girl's waiting for you."

After shooting Damon a glare, Stefan turns to Caroline and they exchange quiet greetings, both of their faces flushing.

Bonnie clears her throat when she sees them getting ooey-gooey. "Alright, what're we going to do? I'm up for anything, really."

Squealing in delight, Caroline looks around at everyone. "I've got an idea! Let's play Spin the Bottle!"

"What is this, a high school party? No, no way," Damon says, shaking his head.

"Well, the other option is Seven Minutes in Heaven. Unless you got any better ideas, hmm?"

When no one objects, Caroline smiles happily. "It's settled, then. We'll be playing Seven Minutes in Heaven, but we'll incorporate the bottle. Whoever the bottle lands on is the person who gets to go in the closet with the person who spun it. Deal?"

After no one else says anything, Elena sighs and sits on the floor, "Yeah, let's do it. Everyone sit on the floor in a circle."

"What? I'm not playing," Damon says with a roll of his eyes.

"Yes, you are. If I have to play, so do you," Elena retorts, tugging on his pant leg. Sighing, Damon sits down next to Elena along with the rest of them.

"Alright, who's going first? You, Blondie?"

Caroline spins the bottle and watches it land on Jeremy.

"Hmmph. Okay, you, me, closet."

When Caroline and Jeremy enter the closet, the rest of them start laughing.

"Did you see Jer's face? Caroline was definitely not his top choice."

"Yeah, we can guess who is. I feel like we should just rig the bottle so we don't waste time. Stefan, you want to go in with Blondie and Bon-Bon wants time with Little Gilbert."

"I think that's best. In case you didn't notice, the whole point of this triple date was to set you guys up together."

After sitting in silence for a while, Jeremy and Caroline emerge from the closet, both looking more than a little annoyed.

"Who's next then?"

"Bonnie, you go."

Bonnie spins the bottle and it lands on Stefan who subtly turns it to Jeremy. "Oh, would you look at that? Bonnie and Jeremy. Have fun in the closet, you two."

Blushing, Bonnie stands up with Jeremy and they both enter the closet.

"Ooh, what do you guys think they're going to do in there?" Caroline wonders aloud.

"Eh, we probably don't want to ask questions we don't want the answers to. Just as long as they make some progress in their relationship, I'll be happy," Elena admits.

Once seven minutes have passed, Bonnie and Jeremy exit the closet with smiles on their faces. Jeremy's hair is more tousled than before and Bonnie's avoiding eye contact with everyone.

"Okay, I'm assuming that went pretty well. Stefan, your turn."

Stefan spins the bottle and it lands on Elena who spins it towards Caroline. "Wow, Stefan and Caroline. How unexpected."

Stefan offers his hand to Caroline who happily takes it and they enter the closet together.

"What are the chances that they have sex right then and there?"

Elena's eyes widen and she playfully smacks Damon in the arm. In return, he mockingly rubs it and raises an eyebrow at her.

"Bossy and abusive, huh?"

"And you can't even say you hate it," Elena smiles and pecks Damon on the lips.

Time passes and there's still no sign of Caroline and Stefan coming. Jeremy stares at his watch.

"It's been almost nine minutes. What should we do?"

Damon stands up and swings open the closet door, revealing a very disheveled Stefan and Caroline making out. They both gasp and glare at him, which he returns lightheartedly.

"If I had let you guys go on any further, you'd be having sex in my suitcase."

They shuffle out of the closet but don't let go of each other, which causes a massive grin to appear on Elena's face. She mentally congratulates herself on being a successful matchmaker.

"Well, Elena and Damon are the only ones who didn't go in the closet yet."

"Uh-uh. If we go in that closet, we won't be coming out in under seven minutes," Damon retorts with a smirk plastered on his face. Elena smacks his shoulder this time and he responds with a searing kiss on the lips.

The onlookers stare at them for a moment and then shake their heads, standing up.

"You're right, we shouldn't let them in the closet. It definitely wouldn't be this PG in there," Stefan says.

"We can still hear you, brother," Damon murmurs after him and Elena part. "It's not like you and Care-Bear were being PG in the closet."

Reddening again, Stefan briskly walks into the kitchen, Caroline following close behind.

"I'm guessing it's dinnertime, huh? Caroline and I will cook some chicken parmesan," Elena says and then enters the kitchen to see Stefan and Caroline kissing again. "Oh, my. What have I done?" Elena says to herself quietly.

As soon as they notice Elena, the two lovebirds break apart. Clearing his throat, Stefan gives Elena a nod before exiting the kitchen.

"So...is he good?" Elena questions Caroline as she begins to get ingredients out.

Without hesitation, Caroline nods, "Of course he's good! Oh, god, he's amazing. He does this thing with-"

Abruptly, Elena puts her hand up to stop Caroline from going into too much detail. "I don't want to know everything. It's dinnertime, anyway, so you're gonna help me make chicken parmesan."

"Alrighty, I can do that." Caroline starts taking stuff out of the fridge. "What, are the only two things in this recipe chicken and cheese?"

"Care, there are a lot of things in chicken parmesan, not just chicken and cheese. I'm going to beat these eggs, so, uh, you could probably cut the chicken into thinner strips."

"M'kay, boss." Caroline gives Elena a little salut before opening the package of chicken breasts.

Elena butters the skillet after she finishes beating the eggs. Seeing that Caroline's cut a few strips of chicken, Elena takes one and dips it in the eggs first, and then lays it in a bowl of breadcrumbs.

Damon enters the kitchen as Elena's rolling the chicken around in the crumbs. "Mm, don't forget to wash your hands. Don't want you ladies to get salmonella," He tells them with a wink.

"Riiight, well, germs be damned. I'll make sure not to put my fingers in my mouth anytime soon, right, Care?" Elena takes the chicken strip from the breadcrumbs and places it in the buttered skillet.

"Haha, yeah. But really, how often do you wash your hands, 'Lena? I mean-" Caroline suddenly stops talking and Elena looks over. She inwardly curses her luck, "Damn it, Care."

Holding a bleeding finger, Caroline bites her lip. "Sorry...you really shouldn't have put me in charge of cutting things. I get distracted and don't look-"

Her words are cut off by screams, because Caroline's neck was officially in Damon's mouth.

"Shit! Damon!"

Stefan enters the kitchen and freaks out when he sees that Caroline's being eaten by his brother. "Damon! Damn it, Damon! Stop it!" Stefan attempts to pull Damon away from her but just gets pushed back, causing him to bump into Elena.

Caroline's whimpers are ceased, due to her losing consciousness.

"Damon, let go! Stop, you're going to kill her!" Elena desperately looks around the kitchen. Her eyes land on a drawer, which she quickly opens and pulls something out. After mumbling an apology, she stabs Damon in the neck with the syringe.

Both him and Caroline fall to the floor, unconscious. Elena and Stefan exchange shocked glances before kneeling in front of them.

"What'd you stick him with?"

"Vervain dart. I put them in here, just in case…" Elena feels for Caroline's pulse, which is beating. It's light, but it's there.

"God, Elena, she's barely alive. What...what are we going to do?"

Shaking her head, Elena grabs the knife from the cutting board and slices Damon's wrist. Gingerly, she holds it up to Caroline's mouth. After a minute, Caroline begins drinking the blood and her neck wound heals.

"Oh, wow...that's really freaky. It's like it was never there…"

"Yeah, vampire blood has healing properties. I, uh, I don't understand. I thought Damon was getting better with the urges."

"I don't know, he wouldn't talk about them with me. I think he was always a little embarrassed when talking about consuming blood."

"Okay, Stefan, can you get Damon in his room? We need to clean this mess up and explain what the hell just happened to Caroline, and probably Jeremy."

Stefan agrees and picks Damon up under the arms, dragging him up the stairs.

Elena looks at Caroline who's regaining consciousness. She blinks and then starts hyperventilating.

"Oh, god, Elena, his face...oh my god, oh my god! Get me out of this damn house!" Caroline struggles to stand up so Elena braces her.

"Caroline, I need you to listen. There are things that you don't know, things that can't be explained. The only way for you not to be scared is to give us the chance to explain."

"He bit...he freaking bit my neck! How the hell do you explain that?! He...he…" Caroline reaches for her neck and her eyes widen when she doesn't feel a wound. "He bit my neck, right? I don't even feel anything except blood."

Stefan returns to the kitchen and blows out a relieved breath. "We can explain everything, Care, if you'll let us. Trust me, it'll help you sleep at night."

"Help me sleep at night?" Caroline repeats, "How is this going to help me sleep at night?! My finger that I know I just cut a few minutes ago doesn't even have a scratch!"

"C'mon, let's go into the living room. Jeremy needs to know this stuff, too."

Grudgingly, Caroline follows Stefan and Elena into the living room, still covered in dried blood. Bonnie and Jeremy stand up immediately and look over the three of them.

"I heard screams. What happened? Are you guys okay? Where's Damon?" Bonnie shoots off questions left and right while Jeremy stands there, looking dumbfounded.

"Caroline, why're you covered in blood? Guys, what's going on…?" Jeremy looks from Caroline to his sister. "Elena…?"

Rubbing her forehead, Elena looks at everyone in the room. "It's...it's a lot to take in."

Caroline's lip is still quivering when she sits down on the couch. "Will someone just explain to me what happened? I'd like to know why I was just bit by Damon Salvatore."

"You were what?! Damon bit you? Wait...what kind of bite, because if it was sexual or something…" Jeremy trails off when Elena starts glaring at him.

Elena turns to Bonnie with a pleading look on her face. "Bonnie, could you please tell them everything? Stefan and I need to have a talk…"

Being the understanding person that Bonnie is, she nods her head. "Yeah, go ahead. I'll tell them the whole thing."

"Okay, thank you. Stefan, a word?"

Elena leads him back into the kitchen and then runs her fingers through her hair in a stressful manner. "We need to keep in mind that blood still triggers him. God, if I knew…"

"But you didn't. Don't blame yourself, Elena. But you know, in time, Damon's going to tip the proverbial scale in the wrong direction and risk falling off. We need to do everything in our power to prevent that from happening."

"Most definitely. Was he, umm, still unconscious by the time you…"

"He was. We should probably, uh, go check on him."

"Right…"

Elena and Stefan make their way up the stairs and towards Damon's room. Elena slowly opens the door and then rests her head on the doorframe.

"We're just not that lucky, are we?"

Groaning, Stefan enters the room. "No, no, we're not. Where the hell did he go?"


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

"Where the hell could he have gone? And why would he leave in the first place?" Elena begins pacing around the room.

"I have no idea. He was completely out when I brought him up here." Stefan rubs his neck and shakes his head. "Let's go back down."

They both make their way downstairs and re-enter the living room. Bonnie stands up and gives them a curious look. "What's wrong?"

Elena lets out an exasperated sigh. "We lost him."

Bonnie's eyes widen at the news. "What do you mean 'you lost him'?"

"She means that he's not in the bedroom anymore, and quite frankly, he's not going to be in this house. He left."

"Why would he do that?! What's even going through his mind right now?"

"I don't know. We just need to find him. Caroline, how are you doing now?"

"I, uh, I don't really know what to say. Vampires are not supposed to be real. This is the real world where they only exist in romance movies. At least, they should. And Bonnie said that she's a real witch. How crazy is that?"

"I think this is all pretty cool. Supernatural stuff always interested me, as weird as that sounds," Jeremy admits, looking at Bonnie who smiles back at him.

"Alright, you guys know now. Good. Great. Now we need to find Damon. Any ideas of how to find him?"

"I could ask my Grams, considering she knows how to do magic and I don't."

"Yes, please, call her." Elena collapses face-down on the couch. "Damn, even this couch smells like him. Stupid mahogany and cinnamon," Elena groans into the pillow.

As Bonnie leaves the room to call Sheila, the rest of them shuffle around uncomfortably, except Elena, who's still sprawled out on the couch.

"Elena, we'll find him, if that's what your worried about," Stefan says, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, I know. I'm just tired. Like, really, really tired," Elena mumbles into the pillow before falling into a deep sleep.

—

The doorbell ringing is what startles Elena out of her fitful rest. She doesn't bother getting up, knowing that someone else will answer the door. Sheila enters the living room with a determined look on her face.

"Okay, I'm going to need something of Damon's in order to find him."

Elena rolls over on the couch and speaks up groggily, "I'm wearing his shirt. Will that work?"

"Of course, child, but are you sure you want to…"

"I really couldn't care less at this point. Everyone here has seen me topless before," Elena says, pulling the shirt above her head. She hands it to Sheila who nods.

Everyone watches intently as Sheila holds the shirt closely and chants some words that nobody understands. Her eyes are closed and she repeatedly says the same words.

"I know where he is," Sheila tells everyone when her eyes open. "He's at the Grill."

"He's at the Grill," Elena repeats, dumbfounded. "How do you know?"

"Considering this is his shirt, he'd have a sort of connection to it. I get flashes of his location, but that's it," Sheila explains as she hands the shirt back to Elena who puts it on.

"Good enough for me. Come on, Stefan." Elena tugs on Stefan's hand and trudges towards the door. "Ugh, I'm still tired. And I didn't finish cooking my chicken."

"Are you sure you don't want to rest? Bonnie can come with me, if you want," Stefan asks gently.

"No, no, I'll come. I think I just have a headache...maybe it's a migraine. I'm too tired to tell…"

"Elena…" Stefan looks at her, concerned since she can barely keep her eyes open.

"Stefan, let's just get him and come back," Elena murmurs. "The sooner this is over, the better."

"Okay."

They both get in the car and Elena immediately closes her eyes, resting her head against the cool window. "So much for a good triple date, huh…?" Elena mutters before drifting to sleep.

—

Unsure on whether he should wake Elena up or not, Stefan decides that if he doesn't, she'll probably get angry. He gently shakes Elena's shoulder, causing her to bolt upright.

Not looking or feeling much better, Elena groans and steps out of the car. Her and Stefan make their way into the Grill and find Damon seated at the bar.

Cursing inwardly, Stefan approaches him on one side as Elena does the other.

"Brother, what exactly do you think you're doing?"

"Mm, what does it look like, Stefan? I'm drinking," Damon says, slightly slurring.

"Are you drunk? So help me, if you decided to get drunk after attacking Caroline-"

"Spare me the lecture, Stef. I don't want nor need it. Let me drink my sorrows away by myself."

"No. You are coming home with us. Since when do you drink, anyways? Other than a few shots, I've never actually seen you drink like this."

"You're right, but right now, maybe you should just leave me all by my lonesome," Damon snaps, "You'll do us both a favor."

"Hellooo, did you completely forget that I'm standing here, too? Ugh, maybe I'm just too exhausted to realize. Just come home so we can all get some much needed rest."

"If you're so tired, then you two can go home," Damon retorts.

"God, stop making this so difficult. Can't you see that your girlfriend is about to pass out right now, but she refuses to sleep until you're home? Stop being so selfish, Damon," Stefan spits out, annoyance flashing through his features.

"Stop being so self-righteous, Stefan," Damon growls back but gets off of the bar stool and walks towards the door.

Elena and Stefan follow, exchanging eyerolls. The three of them continue walking in silence towards the car.

"Damon Salvatore," someone sings quietly from behind him. "Fancy seeing you here. I'm surprised your kind is out and about in this town."

Damon rolls his eyes but makes no move to turn around. "And what might my kind be?"

"Vampires," the man says before pressing the end of a stake to Damon's back. When Elena and Stefan turn around after they notice Damon's not with them, they're both shocked to see the scene that's unfolding.

"Yeah, I am a vampire, so you better do good not to piss me off."

Elena's eyes widen and she moves towards them but stumbles into Stefan who stabilized her.

"Mr. Saltzman, what're you doing? Please stop," Elena quietly pleads while holding onto Stefan's arm.

"Elena Gilbert and Stefan Salvatore. How are you this fine evening?"

Damon's eyes flash black when he looks at Elena and Stefan. "You know this guy?"

"Alaric Saltzman. He was our history teacher in high school...and apparently a vampire hunter by night."

"They'd be right, Damon. I hunt monsters like you," Alaric sneers before pushing the stake deeper into his back.

Clearly, that was a bad move because before Elena or Stefan could blink, they saw his body fall to the ground and Damon standing over it.

It was eerily silent for a moment and then, "What the hell is wrong with you?! You idiot, you just killed our former teacher! God, I can't...why?!"

"Enough with the shit-fit, Elena. I did what I had to."

Elena gapes at him and then turns to Stefan who's wide-eyed as well. Turning back to Damon, she clenches her fists. "Shit-fit? SHIT-FIT?! Who the hell are you?!" She angrily grinds her teeth before spitting out, "You're drunk. You killed someone and didn't bat an eye because you're drunk."

Stefan shakes his head. "There's no excuse for what you did, Damon. That downright malicious and you know it."

Elena holds onto Stefan's arm tighter, exhaustion evident in her face. "Stefan...it's too much…" Elena breathes out before collapsing into someone's arms.

—

Elena hears voices talking in the room but doesn't have the strength to bother opening her eyes.

"She fainted due to extreme fatigue, due to extreme stress or lack of a good sleep. She feel emotionally drained or overwhelmed occasionally and the migraine that she had didn't help matters. Elena's going to need plenty of fluids and rest before her strength returns."

"Thank you, Dr. Fell," Elena hears Stefan reply. "We'll take care of her."

"Do her parents know about her health recently?"

"Uh, no, but we'll call them."

"That would be a good idea. Let me know if anything changes."

Elena can hear footsteps leave the room and more shuffling. Still contemplating whether or not to open her eyes, she listens to arguing.

"What are you going to tell her, Damon? Huh? Whatever was going on with you last night clearly had a bad impact on her and now look where she is."

"God, don't you think I know that, Stefan? That this is all my fault? I know, I royally screwed up." Elena hears Damon, distress clear in his voice.

"Then tell her that. Tell her that you screwed up and how it won't happen again. Tell her that you're sorry."

"Right, because it's that easy, huh? That teacher is dead because I had one too many drinks. And I can't expect her to forgive me when I the one thing she wants is the one thing I don't have. My remorse? That's the worst damn part because I don't even feel bad that he's dead!"

Silence. That's all Elena hears. Deciding that she's been eavesdropping long enough, Elena slowly opens her eyes. Confused, she realizes that she's not at the hospital like she thought she was but in Damon's bedroom.

"Elena? Oh, god, Elena," Damon breathes as she sits up on the bed.

"How do you feel? Do you want anything?" Stefan asks gently.

She puts her hand to her forehead, slightly wincing. "My head hurts. I don't think the migraine went away completely. It's too bright in here, and my throat is really dry. I'm hungry because I never got to eat my chicken parmesan and I'm annoyed because this happened in the first place."

Elena can see guilt is eating away at Damon, but then she remembers it's not because Alaric is dead. It's because he put her in this position. Sighing, she closes her eyes again and covers her head with the comforter. A glass is placed on the nightstand next to her and the curtains are closed.

"Damon, she needs rest. Let's leave her alone," Stefan urges and Elena hears two pairs of footsteps leave the room. When the door closes, Elena peeks her head back out.

On the nightstand is a glass of water, an aspirin, and a grilled cheese. Elena can't help but breathe a sigh of relief that she doesn't have to talk about what happened right away. After taking the aspirin and sipping the water, she turns on her side and stares at the wall. Eventually, sleep overtakes her again.

—

When Elena reawakens, she feels more rested than she has in days. Deciding that she needs a shower, she trudges into the bathroom, grabbing her phone along the way. After she turns the shower on, she dials Bonnie's number.

"Oh my god, Elena? I heard what happened. How are you?"

"I feel better now. Well, physically. I don't know what to think, Bonnie. I need you to come over here, because I don't want to be in a room alone with him."

"Are you scared of him?"

"Surprisingly, I'm not. I know how stupid it sounds, but he still makes me feel safe. I'm more pissed than anything. God, I was so angry last night, Bon."

"Yeah, Stefan told me what Damon did. You have the right to be mad at him, but the question is, are you going to forgive him?"

"That's the thing, I have no idea. I kind of overheard them talking in the room, and what Damon said...it really bothers me."

"What did he say?" Bonnie questions, her voice edged with concern.

"...he doesn't feel bad that Alaric's dead. No remorse, nothing. I don't know if I can face him, and that annoys me so much because I should be able to. He's my boyfriend and I should be able to talk to him, but I can't. Not yet," Elena confesses in a quiet voice.

"That's understandable, 'Lena. Whatever happens, I just hope that you two can work things out. I can't imagine either of you with anyone else, and that's saying something."

"Yeah, me too. Please just be here."

"I will," Bonnie promises and then they hang up.

Elena steps into the shower after stripping and rests her head on the wall, letting warm water flow down her back. She stays in that position for a while, letting her thoughts consume her.

After finishing her shower, she throws a pair of Damon's sweatpants and a shirt on, deciding that even though she was mad, she was mad at him and not at his clothing. She ties her hair into a bun and steps out of the bathroom.

Wanting to make sure that Bonnie was downstairs, Elena quietly walked into the hall and listened for her voice, which she heard. Relief flooding through her, she descends the stairs and enters the living room.

Everyone looks up at her when she enters, unfortunately. Keeping her eyes downcast, she gives a small wave before turning around and walking out of the room. Of course Elena considered herself as a coward, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Emotionally drained, she made her way to the kitchen and took a peach from the bowl.

Too scared to think about anything else, she focused on how delicious the fresh peach tasted in her mouth. Closing her eyes, Elena savored the mouth-watering goodness.

She freezes when she hears footsteps and she damned herself for thinking she could have a peach without anyone entering.

"Elena, we need to talk," She heard Damon say quietly.

Keeping her eyes closed, she also damned Bonnie for not being a good body guard. "We do. But I can't. Not now. I just need some time," Elena says just as quietly. Not sure why she thought this was a good idea, but Elena opens her eyes and finds herself staring into Damon's not-so-innocent blue eyes. That was a mistake.

She unintentionally shivered, which seemed to give Damon the wrong idea.

"I understand. You're thinking the same thing as everyone else, that I'm some heartless monster," Damon replies in the softest voice that Elena ever heard.

"That's not what I was thinking," Elena immediately rebutts. "I don't...I just need some time and space to figure out how I feel. I don't hate you, I'm just upset...and mad...and confused above all."

"Of course," Damon says before speeding away.

Internally groaning, she hoped that she hadn't hurt his feelings. She just needs to talk to somebody about this that isn't Damon. Standing up, Elena walks over to the garbage can and discards her peach pit before returning to the living room.

Noticing that Damon wasn't there, Elena had the courage to sit on the couch, criss-cross. Bonnie and Stefan look at her expectantly and Elena takes a deep breath.

"I need your guys' help."


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

 _"I need your guys' help."_

Elena looks from Bonnie to Stefan and back to Bonnie. Not sure where to start, she turns back to Stefan.

"I need someone to talk to that isn't him. You were there last night, Stefan. We saw all of the same things. I just...I need someone else's opinion."

"The difference between you and me, Elena, is that I love him like a brother. We both love him unconditionally, but I can fault him for his actions. He either takes my opinion in stride or completely ignores it. With you, he takes your thoughts to heart. He wants to know what you think of him, good and bad. When he hurt you, it hurt him. Damon can control what he does, but not always what he feels. I can be mad at him, but he knows I still love him. We're family, so we're stuck together. If you're mad at him, he knows you have the ability to walk away. He doesn't want to lose you, despite what he did."

Elena's eyes are glazed over as she thinks about Stefan's words. "I don't want to lose him either, Stefan, but he's changing and we all know it. I'm not sure I like the person he's becoming. The one who doesn't flinch when they kill someone and feels no remorse afterwards."

"You heard that, huh? Yeah, it shocked me, too. It's not that he doesn't feel guilt. He does, but it wasn't about killing Alaric. It was how he hurt you, emotionally and physically. I guess the choice you have to make is 'can you still love the person he's becoming, and is it worth the risk of heartbreak'. It'll either work out in the end, or it won't."

Elena dabs a tissue at her eyes and nods. "I guess that's what it comes down to. What do you think, Bon?"

Sighing, Bonnie shakes her head. "Honestly, I'm disappointed in Damon. He was always the one who we thought couldn't hurt a fly if they didn't deserve it. Yes, it's clear that he loves you, probably more than himself right now, but he needs to stop acting before he thinks. His impulsiveness will most likely be his downfall. You really shouldn't forgive him yet, because he has to deserve it to earn it. You should let him try to make it up to you. He's letting his humanity slip, which is what I think you're most upset about. Tell him to pull himself together or risk losing you. There's only so much you can take, Elena. Don't let him push the boundaries so much that it hurts."

Letting her tears lose, Elena openly sobs into the tissue. "When did my best friends become such good therapists?"

Stefan squeezes Elena's shoulder and looks at Bonnie. "Probably since this summer screwed us all over."

"I'd be sad if you two broke up because you guys are practically soulmates, but it's your decision if he's really worth everything you're giving him," Bonnie says, wrapping her arms around Elena.

Nodding, Elena looks at her hands. "I'll give him a chance to show me his humanity. God, watching him kill someone was awful. I don't know if I could take that again, but I'll take a chance and put my heart at risk. Ugh, is this a dumb idea?"

"We'll just have to see, won't we?" Bonnie replies with a wink.

"Okay, enough about me and my problems. Tell me all about your guys' relationships," Elena says with a smile.

"Well, in the closet, Jeremy and I kissed. It wasn't all tongue like Stefan and Caroline, but sweet and gentle. And honestly, it was the best kiss I ever had."

"So what does that make you two now?"

"I'm not sure," Bonnie admits, "It brought us closer, but we're not on that boyfriend-girlfriend level yet. I guess we're friends that like each other. We should probably go on an actual first date before we go declaring titles."

"At least you're a step closer in the right direction. What about you, Stefan? How hot are things with you and Caroline?"

Stefan's face turns red as he clears his throat, "Uh, well, I hope we're boyfriend and girlfriend. I kind of despise friends with benefits. Everyone knows what we were doing in the closet, thanks to my ass of a brother. We kiss often which is lovely," Stefan says, looking at his feet.

"Aww, that's so cute! Okay, I ship Beremy and Steroline hardcore. You're all going to end up happy and married with mini versions of yourselves," Elena gushes, sounding wistful.

"Elena…"

"No, it's okay. Don't feel bad, I can still adopt. Or, I don't know, get a sperm donor. Whatever."

The three of them sit in a content silence until the door swings open with a loud bang. They all flinch at the sound and turn in their seats to see Damon shoving a surprisingly alive Alaric into the house.

"Look who I found, alive and well," Damon states, giving Alaric a glare.

"Oh my god, Mr. Saltzman, you're alive! How?"

"I'm not going to tell you how I came back to life in case this asshole tries to kill me again," Alaric retorts.

When everyone looks at Damon, he holds his hands up in surrender. "I won't kill him again, I swear."

Quietly, Elena mutters, "Or anyone."

Guilt flashes on Damon's face when he looks at Elena but quickly turns away. "So, what're we supposed to do with him?"

"Mr. Saltzman-"

"Call me Ric," He replies in a surprisingly kind voice. "If your friend, here, isn't going to kill me again, then we might as well become better acquaintances."

"Right, well, you know us all from class. Except Damon, but you know him too, somehow."

"It's really nothing personal, I just have a vendetta against any and all vampires."

"Are you going to try and kill him again?"

"Uh, no. I promise."

"Alrighty, well, I guess that means you can go," Elena tells him with a friendly smile.

Damon's head whips around to Elena, "What? How do you know he's going to keep his word?"

"How do I know you're going to keep yours?" Elena retorts with a stern look. "He's not a prisoner, Damon. He can go."

Sighing, Damon steps aside and allows Alaric to leave the house. After closing the door, he turns around to see that he's receiving glares from Stefan and Bonnie.

"Damon," Elena speaks up, avoiding eye contact. "Umm, we have to talk."

He nods, ignoring the hope swelling in his heart. Following Elena to the kitchen, they both sit down at the table.

"Okay. Listen, I'm willing to give you a chance to prove that you deserve my forgiveness. You have to have full-on humanity. None of this murdering shit, and I'd prefer it if you only drank from blood bags," Elena takes a deep breath. "I don't want a repeat of last night. You attacked Caroline and then ran off to the bar. It was idiotic and you scared me, because I had no idea where you were. Your attitude hurt both me and Stefan, and the drunkenness didn't help. You killed someone because he pissed you off, and that pissed me off."

Damon opens his mouth to say something but Elena holds her hand up to stop him. "I know you don't feel guilty about it. You guys were talking in the room, so I heard you. It hurts me that you don't feel remorse about him, even though he's somehow alive now. Killing shouldn't be an easy thing to do, but you made it look like that. None of us really want to see that side of you again. I want to forgive you, Damon, I do, but I can't unless you prove to me that you think I'm worth fighting for," Elena says with a sad smile.

Waves of guilt hit Damon from all sides as he sees the extent of his damage. "God, Elena, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry that I hurt you. I'm sorry that I scared you. I'm sorry that I ran. I want you to forgive me, so I'll do everything in my power to prove it. You are worth more than I can express with words. I don't deserve you, and I know this, but I will fight for you because I love you. The fact that you're giving me a second chance shows how much I don't deserve you," Damon says, tears threatening to spill down his cheek.

Elena wordlessly nods and begins to cry. Before she knew it, she's wrapped in Damon's arms, soaking his shirt with her tears. Receiving multiple apologies while he was stroking his hair helped ease her crying.

Slightly pulling away, Elena looks at the large dark spots splattered on his shirt. "I'm sorry, I guess I owe you a new shirt."

"Don't worry about it. Are you okay now?" Damon asks gently before pulling her back against his chest.

Sniffling, Elena replies, "I'll get there. I'd hate to be this sad forever."

"I'd hate that, too."

"So, um, I think I'm going to go home tonight. I haven't talked to my parents for a while, and, uh, I didn't tell them about the accident."

"I think Stefan called your mom, but it'd be a good idea to see them. Will I see you soon?"

"Yeah," Elena says and gives him a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you."

Elena exits the kitchen and sees Stefan standing in front of the fireplace.

"Did you guys work things out?"

She silently nods and goes towards the front door. "I'm going to be staying at home for a while, but yeah, we're working things out," Elena tells him before walking out the door.

—

When Elena arrives home, she opens the door to find Bonnie and Caroline sitting at her kitchen table.

"Hey. I kind of figured you'd be sleeping at home tonight, so I called Caroline. We're going to slumber it," Bonnie explains with a smile.

"We haven't done it in ages," Caroline adds. They both stand up and embrace Elena in a hug.

"Aw, you guys...thank you."

"Heh, what're best friends for? Your mom said that she wanted to talk to you, so we'll just be up in your room," Caroline tells her before dragging Bonnie up the stairs.

Elena peers into the living room to see Miranda sitting on the couch. She gestures Elena in and pats the seat next to her.

Taking it, she curiously looks at her mom and asks, "What did you want to talk about?"

"I heard about your accident last night, honey."

"Oh, yeah, that. According to Meredith, I fainted due to exhaustion and stress," Elena says, looking at the TV in front of her.

"Was there any other traumatic event that happened last night?" Miranda inquiries quietly.

"Honestly? There were a few, but I'd rather not go into them. And before you ask, yes, Damon was involved.

Miranda sighs and turns her body on the couch so that she's facing Elena. "I'm going to tell you why I hate vampires so much. You know that I have a little sister, your Aunt Jenna. I also have an older one."

Elena's eyes widen as she hears this news. "What? How did I never know about that?"

"She died before you were born."

"Oh my god. What...what was her name?"

"Isobel. Jenna and I loved her as much as you'd love any sibling. She got married first to the nicest man we'd ever met. When she died, we cried and cried until there were no tears left. Little did we know that she was living the high life somewhere else as a vampire."

"Oh…"

"Yeah. As a human, she was kind but tough. She literally fought the kids that used to bully Jenna and I. But as overprotective as she was, that changed when she turned. I just happened to come across her one day when I was in New York in an alley, feeding on someone until they dropped dead. You can imagine what my face looked like, seeing my not-so-dead sister kill someone. When she saw me, it wasn't the Isobel I knew. She was a cold, empty shell of our dead sister. Isobel ruthlessly killed who she wanted, when she wanted. I didn't know it at the time, but her switch was flipped."

"No humanity," Elena murmurs quietly. "That's why you hate all vampires, because your sister was turned into one and became a monster."

Miranda nods and gives Elena an empathetic look. "Whatever's going on with you and Damon, I will support your decision either way. I just don't want you to get to the point where I am."

After giving her mom a grateful smile, they embrace tightly. "Thank you, Mom."

"Of course, honey. You know you can talk to me about anything."

"Heh, yeah. I'll let you know how my relationship with Damon goes as we move along," Elena replies as she gets off the couch.

"Alright. Now go have a good night with your friends."

Elena walks up the stairs and enters her room where Bonnie and Caroline are. They practically pull her on the bed and Caroline starts pestering her with questions.

"So, what's the deal with you and Damon? Did you break up with him yet?" Caroline asks bluntly.

"Caroline! Sorry, Elena, she's just really curious. We're just wondering how the talk went."

"I told him that I'll give him a chance to prove that he's serious about us. No killing, no feeding on humans, no fights. He has to prove he wants me bad enough to not stoop that low. If he can't, then we're done."

"Good, good idea. I can't say that I'd give him a second chance if he were my boyfriend, but that's probably because he bit me," Caroline states with a roll of her eyes.

The three of them start laughing and spend the rest of the night talking about less serious things.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

"Wait, Elena, what about this dress?" Caroline asks as she holds up a red halter neck dress with a handkerchief skirt.

"I think it'll look beautiful on you, Care," Elena replies, monotonously.

"That's what you said about the last four dresses, 'Lena!" Caroline protests, looking the dress over once again.

"Well, this time, I really mean it," Elena says with a playful grin. She laughs loudly when Caroline's eyes get as big as saucers but getting ambushed by a feather boa makes her shut up.

Formal parties aren't really Elena's thing. She doesn't like to flounce around in fancy outfits and discuss topics she really couldn't care less about. But of course, when they all got invited to Masquerade Ball at the Lockwoods', Caroline insisted that they all attend. And much to Elena's dismay, Caroline had also dragged her out dress shopping.

"So you really think this dress is the once?" Caroline inquiries hopefully.

"I do. You look good in red. And it matches your shoes," Elena retorts and then adds quietly, "Plus, I don't want to drag this shopping trip from hell out any longer."

"Now it's time to find your dress, 'Lena!" Caroline sings, either not hearing Elena's last words or just ignoring her.

"But I don't want a dress," Elena complains, looking disgusted at the dresses surrounding them.

"It's a ball, you have to wear a dress! Oh my god, Elena, look at this one. The opaque white would look amazing with your skin tone and the high-low skirt is to die for! Plus, it's a freaking wrap-dress!"

As much as Elena hated to admit, the dress did look beautiful. She had always admired the way wrap-dresses had fit and this one was sleeveless, which is something Elena had always preferred. Not being a fan of tight dresses, she was glad that this one looked loose and airy.

"Are we in another universe, or does Elena Gilbert actually like a dress?! It's a miracle! Go and try it on!" Caroline squeals with delight.

Not so begrudgingly, Elena takes the dress and enters the changing room. When she tried it on, she couldn't help but mentally high-five herself for not being completely closed-minded. The form-fitting bodice contrasted perfectly with the flowy skirt.

Stepping out of the dressing room, she bit her lip and waited for Caroline's reaction. Seeing as how Caroline's eyes lit up and her practically jumped in the air, Elena took that as a sign she didn't look half bad.

"So...what do you think?"

"I think that that dress is your soulmate, Elena! Ugh, it's so perfect! You are buying that one, whether you like it or not," Caroline says firmly.

Chuckling, Elena shakes her head. "Don't worry, Care, I actually really like this one. And I have a pair of heels that'll go with it, so don't bother making us go look for shoes."

"Fine by me," Caroline replies with a wink. "Damon will not be able to take his eyes off of you."

It's been a couple of weeks since her and Damon agreed to the conditions she lashed out. He was doing a pretty solid job on keeping his humanity alive, so Elena was slowly inching back towards him.

"And Stefan will not be able to look at anyone else if you're in the room," Elena tells her. "I'm so glad that guys are officially boyfriend and girlfriend. It took you long enough."

"Honestly, it did! It was like we kept waiting for the other to make a move, and that got annoying so I just asked him what we were in the middle of a tango in the sheets. And he said whatever I wanted us to be, that's what we were. So, we're together!" Caroline explains with a tinge of pink on her cheeks.

"Well, I'm happy for you guys. Bonnie and Jeremy are together, too. They just had to go on a few dates to realize how hard they were falling for each other."

"Oh my god, could you imagine little Beremy babies? They'd be so adorable!"

"Right?" Elena agrees, nodding her head. "We should head back, Care. The ball is at seven, and we went last shopping last minute."

As they walk towards the register to pay for their things, Caroline says, "Well, that's kind of your fault. Remember, you didn't want to come dress shopping but I finally convinced you that you were still going to this, even if I had to drag you naked."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure you're even more stubborn than I am."

"I like to think of it as strong-minded. Ugh, we aren't gonna have any time to do hair and makeup!" Caroline stresses as she looks at her watch.

"We have three hours," Elena deadpans, taking their shopping bags and starts towards the car.

"I know!" Caroline whines, following her.

—

Caroline puts the finishing touches on her makeup as Elena puts down the curling iron. After shaking her loose waves, Elena turns to Caroline with a smile on her face.

"Ooh, Caroline, you look hot," Elena giggles. "You really put a lot of effort in that updo of yours."

While Elena's hair is simply curled and cascading down her back, Caroline's is put in a low, messy bun with a side braid. Tugging at a few loose curls trailing down her face, Caroline grins sheepishly.

"Do you like it?"

"Yeah, it's pretty amazing," Elena says right before the doorbell rings.

"Wait, wait, I'm not ready! Tell the boys to hold their horses," Caroline muses while putting her jewelry on.

"I still need to put my shoes on, so you're fine," Elena sings, slipping into her heels.

"Alright, now I'm good to go!"

"Forgetting something?" Elena inquiries before holding up Caroline's masquerade mask. Eyes widening, she nods before taking the mask and dashes down the stairs.

Silently laughing to herself, Elena follows her and stands by the doorframe as the door's opened by an enthusiastic Caroline.

'Damn the Salvatore genes', Elena thought to herself as her eyes look Damon over. With both brothers donning suits, they looked devilishly handsome. From the perfectly messy hair to the striking blue eyes, Elena couldn't remove her gaze from his.

After they all stood in silence for a moment, Elena realized that Caroline was doing the same thing as she was with Damon to Stefan. When Elena knew that she was getting embarrassingly lost in his eyes, she blinked back to reality.

"Wow...Elena, you look...stunning. Wow…" Damon breathes, breaking the silence.

"I guess I can say the same thing back to you," Elena says with a blush.

"You guess?" Damon gives her a cheeky smile and wiggles his eyebrows.

"Yup," She replies, popping the p. Turning to Caroline, Elena sees that her and Stefan were exchanging quiet greetings as well. Noticing that they were grinning like idiots while gazing at each other, she bit back a laugh.

"We ready?" Damon asks, offering his arm to Elena. She nods, along with Stefan and Caroline, and slips her arm through his.

—

They all had put their masks on once they arrived at the ball. After stepping out of the car, Elena turned to close the car door. When she turned around again, she collided with Damon's chest

"Well, damn," Elena exclaims, her voice muffled a bit since she hadn't extracted herself from Damon's proximity.

"Damn right," Damon responds, wrapping an arm around Elena's waist.

Elena sees that Caroline was watching her and Damon's interaction and gives her a subtle wink. Maturely, Elena sticks her tongue out at before watching her dash off to Stefan.

"So, what exactly is one supposed to do at a Masquerade Ball?" Damon questions as they approach the entrance of the mansion, entering when Mayor Lockwood waves them in.

"Eh, chat with strangers with masks on. Dance, eat, drink, I guess. Be social," Elena teases.

"Pfft, nah, I prefer hanging out with you, little miss unsocial," Damon says, perching his mask on his forehead.

"Oh, so that means you get to do 'little miss unsocial's' bidding. Champagne and strawberries, chop-chop," Elena replies in a flirtatious voice.

"You're the only woman who gets to boss me around," Damon whispers in her ear seductively before going towards the drinks.

She smiles to herself and goes towards Carol Lockwood. "Mrs. Lockwood, hey," Elena greets, removing her mask.

"Oh, Elena, I'm glad that you could make it!"

"Guess I couldn't turn down the invitation," Elena says, biting her tongue. "So...how's it going?"

"You know, it's going. Are you friends with Tyler, dear?"

"Honestly, no. We never really got along."

"Ah, well, that's too bad. I see you've brought your handsome boyfriend tonight. Speaking of…"

Damon comes over to Elena and Carol with two glasses of champagne and a strawberry. He hands Elena a glass and the strawberry and turns to Carol.

"Carol, a pleasure," Damon smoothly speaks, taking her hand and lightly kissing it. Elena tries stifling a laugh when she looks at Carol's expression.

"Damon Salvatore, you're quite the charmer," Carol coos.

"Why, thank you. You know, you have a very lovely home. I've never been in here before."

"Hah, oh, Damon, flattery will get you everywhere. I hope you two enjoy the rest of your evening," Carol laughs before walking away.

"My, my, quite the charmer indeed," Elena jokes, batting her eyelashes. She looks down and pouts, holding up the single strawberry. "Just one?"

"One is better than none, 'Lena," Damon purrs before plucking the strawberry from Elena's fingertips. He places both of their champagnes on a table and dangles the strawberry in front of her face."Open that beautiful mouth of yours."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Elena whispers but opens her mouth anyways, allowing Damon to feed her the strawberry. When she takes a bite, juice explodes in her mouth and some settles on her lips.

After letting out a satisfied moan, Elena's about to say something but immediately shuts her mouth as Damon's lips claim hers in a heated kiss. He gently sucks away the strawberry juice and then they engage in a passionate tongue battle.

Once their lips break apart, both of them look more than a little pleased. Damon still has his arms wrapped around Elena, nuzzling his face in her hair and inhaling deeply. "Mm, I love you, Elena."

Glad that he can't see her deep blush, Elena smiles and replies softly, "I love you, too."

"Remember three years ago when you were fifteen, and I was eighteen...and we had our first time…"

Elena's eyes widen and her face burns a crimson color. "I thought we agreed never to mention that completely embarrassing memory ever again."

"...in your brother's bed. Our first horizontal tango, pretty amazing although hilarious."

Elena pulls away and playfully smacks Damon's arm, smiling but hisses, "Shut your face."

Smirking, Damon responds with, "Gladly," before pressing his lips to hers again. They stop kissing when they hear giggling from behind them.

"Blondie, don't you have anything better to do right now? Where's my baby bro?" Damon mock-glares.

Shrugging, Caroline looks around. "He's somewhere. I was planning on looking for him, but then I saw you two and couldn't help myself."

"Heh, quite alright, Care. I'm actually going to go to the restroom real quick," Elena says.

"Hurry back, 'Lena," Damon winks.

Elena hurried up the stairs and enters the bathroom. She looks at herself in the mirror and grimaces. Her lips are pretty swollen and her cheeks are indefinitely blushing. She pats her hair down and splashes some water on her face since she decided not to put any makeup on. Feeling much more refreshed, she steps into the hallway and runs into someone.

"Oh, god, I'm sorry...Tyler."

"Lenaaa," Tyler slurs drunkenly. "How've you been?"

Awkwardly shifting on her feet, Elena says, "I've been good. You, uh, you don't look sober."

Raising an eyebrow, Tyler walks closer to her. "How did you know?" He whispers in her ear.

Elena holds up her hands and backs into a bedroom, which she realizes is a bad idea when he closes the door behind them. "Tyler, it's nothing personal, but I have a personal bubble. So, um, if you could respect that, I'd greatly appreciate it."

"You don't seem to have a problem with Damon invading your stupid bubble," Tyler responds lowly. "You know, Gilbert, I used to have a crush on you when we were little."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Elena cocks an eyebrow. "Is that why you destroyed my sandcastle?"

"Well, I was a little bit of a dick way back when," Tyler remarks, advancing on Elena quicker now. Her hands shoot in front of her to stop him.

"Tyler, what the hell are you doing? Stop it."

"Stop what? Stop this?" Tyler begins to move his hands down her body and he places wet kisses on her neck.

"Tyler, stop. You're drunk and you don't want to do this," Elena tries speaking in a rational tone while attempting to keep him at a distance.

"How do you know what I want? You don't know me, Elena," Tyler growls while pushing back and trapping Elena against the bed, keeping her arms and legs pinned down. He presses his mouth to hers and she thrashes, desperate to get him off her. She can taste the bourbon and it makes her feel sick.

"Tyler, get off me! Damn it, I don't appreciate being groped, Lockwood!" Elena violently squirms in his grasp but can't seem to get lose. She flinches when she can feels him touching her in all of the wrong places and the strong smell of bourbon on his breath makes Elena close her eyes in disgust. "Stop it, Tyler! You're not this kind of person, so quit trying to rape me!"

The door suddenly slams open and Elena can feel a gust of air. Realizing that Tyler's not on top of her anymore, she sighs a breath of relief. Sitting up, she sees Damon holding Tyler in a chokehold, his eyes flickering black every couple seconds.

"Let go of me, damn it!" Tyler seethes angrily.

"And why should I do that?" Damon asks, dangerously low. "You just tried to rape Elena, so tell me, Lockwood. Why should I let you go?"

Knowing that she should stop this before it gets too far, she places a hand on Damon's arm. "Hey, it's okay. I'm fine," Elena says quietly.

"Don't tell me you want this dick to go unpunished. Don't say that, Elena," Damon snaps.

"I'm fine," Elena repeats. "Apart from having his disgusting hands and lips all over me, he-" Elena mentally facepalms herself, realizing that was the wrong thing to say since Damon looked like he was going to snap. "Damon, I'm okay. Hey, look at me…" Elena puts her hand on his cheek and turns his face towards her. "Don't stoop, Damon. Be better than this. Better than him."

Slowly and reluctantly, Damon releases Tyler from his grip and shoves him out of the room. "If I see you touching her again, she's not going to be able to stop me from killing you."

Feeling a little uneasy about that threat, Elena sits down on the bed. She immediately shoots back up, not wanting to sit in the same spot she was almost raped. Elena looks over at Damon and she can feel the tension and anger radiating off of him from where she is. Taking shaky breaths, she closes her eyes and slides her hand down her face.

"I'm sorry, but seeing you in that position with the bastard made me feel so much rage, I felt like I was going to explode. I'm sorry," Damon says, running his fingers through his hair.

"You didn't hurt him, that's what matters to me."

"But I wanted to. God, Elena, you don't know what I wanted to do to him."

"You didn't. You were angry, and so was I. No one's ever really...no one's attempted to rape me before. And Tyler...he was stupidly drunk. It's no excuse, I know. I just...I don't…" Elena breaks off as tears fill her eyes and she's embraced in Damon's comforting arms on the floor. Her body racks with sobs as she soaks yet another one of his shirts.

"I'm sorry, I cry way too much," Elena whispers. "Denial is my excuse for so many things. I just want to pretend this didn't happen."

"Don't apologize. You're okay, you're okay…" Damon repeats words of comfort towards Elena and she eventually calms down.

They sit in silence for a few minutes before Damon speaks up. "You smell different."

Elena's forehead creases in confusion. "What?"

"I don't know how to explain it. You just smell different and I don't like it."

"Okay...well, I used the same shampoo and body wash that I always do, so I'm not sure what you're talking about…"

"...you smell like him."

"What?" Elena repeats, baffled. "Who?"

"Tyler. You smell like Tyler. I don't know, I guess I got so used to you smelling like...me. And you always smelled so damn good."

"So you're basically saying that you smell good since I always smell like you and I smell good?" Elena questions with a smile.

"I mean, I wasn't going to say that, but I guess," Damon replies with a chuckle. "I know it shouldn't be a big deal, but a part of me is really bothered by you smelling like him."

Elena leans her head forward and smells her neck. She squishes her cheeks near her nose and sniffs. "Huh. Guess it's a vampire thing, 'cause I can't smell anything. Maybe I'm just noseblind."

"Who knows. We'll just have to get rid of his scent, huh?" Damon replies before kissing Elena gently, unlike Tyler.

When Damon pulls back, his eyebrows are furrowed and his eyes are slightly darker. "His tongue was in your mouth. I can taste the hints bourbon."

"Yeah," Elena sighs. "God, it was really disgusting. I feel like I need to rinse my mouth with bleach or something."

"Or we can just do this." Damon tugs Elena back towards him and they kiss like there's no tomorrow. Threading her fingers through his hair, Elena groans in pleasure when their tongues take it to all of the right places.

They only break the kiss when they hear someone clearing their throat. Looking up, Elena sees Caroline standing there with her hands on her hips.

"And here I thought something bad happened! Damon was just talking with Stefan and me before he randomly disappeared. I didn't know you two were meeting for a secret rendezvous!"

"Actually, he was saving me from almost getting raped by Tyler Lockwood," Elena explains bluntly. She watched Caroline's facial expression shift from shocked to angry to upset.

"Oh my god, Elena, are you okay? Tyler is such a douchebag," Caroline shakes her head in disgust.

"I'm fine. He didn't get that far."

"Why...why would he try to rape you?"

"I don't know. He was drunk...and he said that he used to have a crush on me when we were little," Elena tells her unsurely.

"Pfft, is that the excuse he used when he trampled your sandcastle?" Damon spits out, annoyance clear in his voice.

"No, his excuse for that was he was a dick."

"I can agree with that one," Damon mutters.

"I think we all can agree with that," Caroline expresses wholeheartedly. "So, are you guys ready to get out of here? I'm so over this party, more so now that I know it caused you a traumatic experience."

"Yes, please. I have the urgent need to shower so the disgusting feeling of Tyler can be washed down the drain."

"Mm, care to make it a shower for two?" Damon whispers huskily in Elena's ear, causing her to blush uncontrollably.

"If you play the right cards, there's a possibility," Elena replies before she slips out of her heels and holds them by her fingertips.

"Elena, what're you doing? This floor might have germs and you could get a serious disease!" Caroline shrieks.

"My feet hurt," Elena shrugs her shoulders, "These shoes felt like hell."

Without a word, Damon sweeps Elena off her feet and ends up holding her bridal style. Her initial response is wrapping an arm around Damon's neck while the other dangles her hell-heels. Damon carries Elena downstairs, ignoring all of the stares people give them while Caroline follows with a huge grin on her face, gesturing Stefan over.

"Hey, Stef, you ready to go?" Damon questions.

"Uh, yeah. What's up with Elena?"

"Blondie, here, will explain to you. I'm going to take her to the house," Damon responds and then walks out of the house.

"Damon, the car's parked over there," Elena tells him, slight confusion visible in her features.

"Well, I'm not going to leave Stefan and Blondie without a ride. That'd be quite uncourteous of me, wouldn't it?"

"I guess so…" Elena mumbles tiredly into his chest. "So what are you-" Elena breaks off in a gasp as Damon uses his speed to travel down to the house.

"Oh my god!" She laughs as the wind hits her with full force, blowing hair in her face. When they arrive at the boarding house, Elena's hair looks like it was hit by a tornado. "That was amazing," Elena breathes and Damon responds with a smile.

"Didn't want you to walk on your sore feet, 'Lena. Plus, I remember you specifically asking, way back when, for me to do that more often. I just tried to make up for lost time," Damon says as he carefully sets Elena down.

"Well, you did a damn good job, and my hair thanks you for it," Elena giggles as she steps into the house and runs up the stairs. She steps into Damon's room and pulls out a shirt along with a pair of her own sleep shorts. After going into the bathroom, she strips, eagerly waiting to wash away the feeling of Tyler off her skin under warm water.

The knock on the bathroom door makes Elena unconsciously grin as she opens it. There stands an equally naked Damon with a smirk plastered on his face.

"Fancy some company?"

"Absolutely," Elena replies before pulling him in and slamming the bathroom door closed.


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Elena tosses and turns in bed, sleep not coming to her immediately. It had been a few weeks since the Lockwood party, and that meant there would be another event coming up soon. This one being Miss Mystic Falls, something that both her and Caroline had entered. Initially, Elena didn't want to enter, but seeing how excited Care and her mother were for it, she agreed half-heartedly. Her mother had been in the pageant when she was Elena's age, and that's the main reason she joined.

The thing was that she needed an escort, and that really shouldn't be a problem, but it was. Damon had been acting weirdly distant, more so this week. Elena hoped that her trust in him wasn't idiotic, but she didn't know what to think. Here she was, laying in bed alone.

With a few more turns, Elena finally gave up on trying to get comfortable and got out of bed. She walked down the hallway, careful not to stumble in the pitch-black house. Making her way to the kitchen, she flipped on the lights and got out a glass. Shuffling over to the fridge, Elena poured herself some water and sat down at the table.

Resting her cheek down on the wood, Elena ran through all of the things that Damon could be doing right now. She groaned and closed her eyes, the table strangely more comfortable than the bed to sleep on.

—

Hours that felt like minutes had passed by with Elena asleep on the table. She only startled awake when the front door was heard opening and closing. Rolling her eyes, she plonked her forehead back on the table, not bothering to move back to bed.

The sound of feet shuffling stopped at the doorway of the kitchen.

"Elena...what are you doing down here?" Damon asks, rubbing his hand on his neck.

"Sleeping," Elena replied shortly. She wasn't particularly in the mood for whatever excuse Damon was conjuring in his head.

"I thought sleeping was done in a bed," Damon says back in the same tone Elena used.

"Who are you to judge where I sleep?" Elena mutters into the table. "I happen to like this table." She closes her eyes again and tunes out the next things that Damon tells her. When she hears him walk away from the kitchen, she whips her head up and stands. She goes to the sink and dumps her water out before grabbing her coat.

Relishing the idea of sleeping in her own room, Elena walks over to the front door and exits the house. After getting in her car, she drives home, parking behind her mom's car.

She jumps out of the car and rushes into her house. Kicking her shoes off, she then goes upstairs, careful not to wake anyone, and enters her bedroom. Flopping on the bed, Elena breathes out a sigh of content, sleep overtaking her once again.

—

Agitated that the first thing she hears in the morning is her phone ringing, she presses ignore without looking at the caller. It rings again and Elena shoves it under her pillow, hoping it would muffle. She stupidly forgot that it vibrated and snatches the phone back out.

"What?" Elena snaps after answering the phone. "Some people try to sleep at this hour, you know."

"Where are you?"

The fact that Damon's asking her this annoys her even more. "I'm sleeping," Elena retorts. "Call back when the recipient is in the mood to talk." She hangs up and turns her phone off. The peaceful silence doesn't last long before Jeremy bursts into her room.

"Elena, I need some advice," Jeremy tells her, not realizing that she had been trying to get some shut-eye.

"Go to a counselor."

"I need relationship advice."

"Then go to couple's therapy," Elena says back, just wanting everyone to leave her alone.

"No, our relationship is in a good place."

"Well, good for you, Jer," Elena muses, somewhat sarcastically. "But if you didn't notice, I'm trying to sleep. And I'm in a pretty bad mood."

"I didn't even hear you come home last night."

"Because I was generous enough not to wake you when you were trying to sleep," Elena grounds out. "Now leave before something gets thrown at you."

"Fine, fine," Jeremy holds up his hands in surrender and backs out of the room.

"Close the door!" Elena shouts after him. Thankfully, he comes back and closes it before walking away again. When it's finally quiet, Elena sinks her head back into the pillow.

—

Feeling surprisingly rested after all of her attempts of sleeping, Elena smiles and throws on a hoodie and some shorts. She goes downstairs and sees her mom and dad at the kitchen table.

"Oh, good morning, honey. We didn't realize that you came home last night," Miranda says with a smile.

"Trust me, I didn't plan on it," Elena replies with a roll of her eyes. She picks up a slice of toast and chews thoughtfully.

"Did something happen? Do I need to kick Damon's ass?" Grayson questions with a determined look.

"I don't know. Maybe. I wouldn't stop you," Elena picks up a grape and pops it into her mouth. "He's just being annoyingly distant. And then he calls me this morning and he has the nerve to ask where I am," Elena plucks another grape off the vine. "I know we should talk, but I don't want to."

"And you have reason not to, honey. Truth be told, anyone who backs away from you with no explanation is an asshole. If that's how you feel, you should tell him that."

"I should, but I won't. When he comes up with a million excuses, then I'll call him an asshole. And a dick, and a liar. Stefan doesn't know what's going on with him either."

"I think that you guys should at least try to talk. It might give you some relief, Elena. But if he hurts you, tell me. I'll stake him before he can say he's pregnant as a stupid excuse for me not to kill him."

Elena bursts out laughing and Miranda looks at Grayson in shock. "Grayson," She chastises.

"She's laughing, isn't she?"

Elena smiles at her parents and shoves her hands into her hoodie pocket. "Thank you guys for the advice. I guess we'll just have to see how the talk goes."

"Good luck, 'Lena," Grayson says before gesturing his hand across his neck in a slicing fashion and mouths 'let me know'."

She laughs once again and makes her way back into her room, grabbing her phone. When she turns it on, she notices a bunch of missed calls, all from Damon's phone.

"Is said recipient finally ready to operate?" Damon snaps into the phone once he picks up her call.

Elena's eyes widen and then they narrow. "I don't know, is said boyfriend ready to stop being a dick, or are we gonna have to pretend there too?"

She hears him let out a sigh, "I'm sorry, Elena. There's just been a lot going on."

'That was his excuse? THAT was his excuse?!', Elena thought to herself. "Okay, Damon, well, if you have so much going on, then why the _hell_ are we having this conversation?"

"Listen, I know I've been acting like an ass lately, but it's not because of you."

"You're right, it's because of you! Damn it, Damon, I am trying to be understanding and give you space, but when you call me and ask where I am before the rooster is supposed to crow, you can't expect me to be happy about it."

"You're right, I'm sorry," Damon repeats, but Elena hears the lack of sincerity in his voice.

"God, just stop with the fake apologies. I don't need whatever shit you're trying to throw my way. I _was_ going to ask if you wanted to be my escort for Miss Mystic Falls, but now I'm going to ask Matt. Have a good damn day, Damon," Elena growls out before hanging up the phone. She sighs and opens her door, letting her parents tumble into the room.

"Mom, Dad," Elena greets with a raise of an eyebrow.

"Oh, Elena, we're so sorry," Miranda consoles while wrapping her arms around Elena.

The doorbell rings when Elena's in the middle of being engulfed in her parents' hugs and apologies.

"I swear, if it's-" Elena's cut off by the doorbell being rung over and over. She squeezes out of the embraces and goes to the door.

Elena opens it and gives a cold glare, "I'm not buying whatever you're selling." She tersely tries to close the door but Damon's hand shoots out and keeps it from closing.

"Elena, please, we need to talk."

Elena lets out a huff of annoyance. "We just did talk, remember? I'm not in the mood for another one of our pointless chats." She attempts at closing the door again, but Damon's hand stays put.

Her parents descend down the stairs and both give deathly stares at Damon. "You don't have to talk to him if you don't want, Elena. It's your choice."

Damon shoots them an unidentifiable look before shortly replying, "I think Elena can speak for herself."

Elena suddenly slams the door closed with so much force that it took Damon off guard and the door shuts completely. "I'm done talking if you're not going to listen," Elena says to through the door before going back upstairs.

She suddenly halts to a stop when she sees Damon's in her room. Inwardly cursing herself for not locking her windows, Elena raises both eyebrows. "Desperate much? I know you're pretty dense, Damon, so let me explain to you that when a girl makes it clear she doesn't want to talk to you, you give her the respect she deserves and you leave her the hell alone."

"Elena, just please hear me out. Please," Damon implores, his eyes searching hers pleadingly.

She crosses her arms over her chest and gestures for him to go ahead.

"I'm sorry for acting so weird this past week. I know, there's no excuse for how I've acting. I know that you're really pissed and I can't blame you because it's entirely my fault. I love you and I don't want to lose you, but you're going to have to trust me."

"Trust breeds trust, Damon. I can't give any if I don't receive any. Right now, this seems like a one-sided relationship, which is something I don't want to be in. If you can't put forth the effort, then…" Elena trails off but gives Damon a pointed look.

"No, please, I swear, I will make it up to you. Just...let me take you out on a date tonight. You can make all of your decisions after, but please just let me have tonight to prove that I'm serious. I want our relationship to work, Elena."

Elena runs a hand down her face and sighs. "I want our relationship to work too, but it's getting too hard to keep giving you these freebies, Damon. I'll give you tonight. Five o'clock, sharp. If you don't bother showing up, then we're cutting the cord."

"I'll show up, I promise. You know I love you, Elena, right?" Damon asks, looking sad.

Elena avoids his gaze but slowly nods her head. "Yeah, I know. But sometimes, we can't have it all. Five o'clock."

"Okay," Damon says before disappearing from her room.

Elena begins banging her head on her doorframe. "Stupid, idiotic, brain-dead moron."

Grayson peeks his head into Elena's room. "Who are you talking to, 'Lena?"

"Myself," She deadpans. "I agreed to a date with him. Was that a bad idea?"

"Just go with what your heart is telling you. After tonight, if you don't think Damon's worth what you're feeling now, then maybe it's time to end things."

"I know. I know…"

—

Elena takes a deep breath and looks at her clock. It's 4:59. She pulls her hair into a ponytail and sits on the bed. When the clock turns to 5:00, the doorbell rings. Letting out a sigh that she didn't realize she was holding, Elena goes down the stairs and opens the door.

And there stands Damon, right on time. She didn't bother looking over his appearance, considering she was still mad at him. Giving a slight nod, she avoided his gaze and walked towards his car.

Damon gets in the car as well, seeing that Elena wasn't in the mood to talk. The ride to the destination was awkwardly quiet as Elena stared out of the window. Realizing where they were headed, a slight smile forms on her face.

"We're going to the Falls, aren't we?"

"That we are," Damon replies with a quiet voice. They arrive at the Falls and Damon hesitantly takes Elena's hand. She doesn't pull away and lets him guide her to where they were headed.

Elena's eyes fill with admiration when she sees the picnic blanket set up right next to the waterfall. "You set up a picnic," Elena whispers.

"Yeah...I mostly brought fruit, since that's what you eat a lot of the time...but there's some bread and astronaut ice cream, since I remember you saying a long time ago that you always wanted to try it," Damon rambles nervously, rubbing his neck. "Do you like it?"

"I do. Thank you...for doing this. It's really nice," Elena admits as she sits down on the blanket. "And a special thanks for remembering how I wanted to try astronaut ice cream. That was a pretty long time ago."

"I remember all of our conversations. They're not something I'd ever want to forget…" Damon sits on the blanket next to Elena and picks up a strawberry. "You want?"

Elena takes it from his fingers and smiles softly, "Thanks."

Damon nods and looks up at the sky. "I kind of figured that you'd like to watch the meteor shower from here."

Her eyes widen since she forgot about the meteor shower. Biting the strawberry, she looks sheepishly at Damon.

"Don't tell me you forgot, 'Lena," Damon teases, "You love meteor showers. We always watched them when we were little."

Elena gazes up at the sky wistfully. "Things were so much easier back then. You know, as kids. I miss the simplicity of being a child."

"Me too," Damon replies. "I didn't screw up so much back then."

"That's true. Look, whatever you've been doing these past weeks...if you don't want to tell me, it's fine. It's just getting harder and harder to trust you when I feel like you can't trust me back."

"I'm so sorry, Elena. It's not that I don't trust you, I just can't really explain what I've been doing."

"Have you told Stefan about it?"

Damon's expression shows shame and regret as he shakes his head no. Elena sighs and looks back up at the sky.

"Would you let me be your escort for Miss Mystic Falls…? I mean, unless you already asked Matt…"

"Damon...this pageant is really important to me. I haven't asked Matt yet. If I agree to you, then I expect you to be there. There's a practice the day before. You have to be at both. Can you promise me that?"

"Yeah, yeah, I can. I promise that I'll be at the practice and the real thing," Damon swears.

Elena nods and opens the package of astronaut ice cream. "Then yes. You can be my escort. Don't let me down, Damon."

"I won't. I promise," Damon repeats. They both look at the starry sky when meteors begin to fall. Smiles are seen across both of their faces as they watch the shower.

"This is nice," Elena confesses, chewing her ice cream.

"The date or the ice cream?"

"Can't it be both?" Elena shyly smiles at Damon.

Damon pouts and looks up just as it starts to rain. "Oh, damn. Come on, it's time to abandon ship."

"No, no, just wait. It'll clear up," Elena replies as she gets soaked. She looks up and blinks furiously as raindrops fall in her eyes. When she looks back at Damon, he's staring at her. Chuckling, she questions, "What?"

Damon leans over and places a gentle kiss on her lips. They stare at each other for a moment and then attack each other's mouths again, this time more passionately. The rest of the stressful world falls away, and it's just the two of them kissing in the rain, sitting on a picnic blanket while meteors fall from the sky.


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

"You know Stefan hates dancing, right? Don't you usually have to beg him?" Elena asks Caroline who's lounging on her bed.

"Well, I didn't have to beg him this time, weirdly enough. I guess he was okay with dancing in Miss Mystic Falls," Caroline responds, examining her nails.

"Oh, man, Stefan is whipped," Bonnie exclaims with a grin on her face.

"Nu-uh, Bonnie. He's just being cooperative this time because he knows how much I wanted to do this."

"You have him wrapped around your perfectly manicured finger, Care," Bonnie sings, "When are you guys going to take the next step in your relationship?"

Caroline laughs nervously, "What step would that be?"

"Moving in together, of course. You guys have sleepovers all of the time, so it wouldn't make a difference."

"Don't you think it's a little early to move in together? I mean, we've only been dating for...two months."

"And for those two months, you've spent about 6 weeks at each other's places."

"Whenever you ask Jeremy to move in with you, I'll move in with Stefan," Caroline tells her.

"What? No, those are two totally different situations. Okay, I still live with my Grams. Jeremy still lives with his parents and Elena. We can't just move in together if we don't have our own house, unlike Stefan who just lives with Damon."

Caroline's eyes light up at the sound of a new topic to discuss. "Speaking of, Elena, how are things going with you and Damon?"

"If you're wondering if I'm going to be moving in anytime soon, that answer would be a solid no."

"Elena! You have been dating Damon for over...I don't know, it's been that long! Why don't you want to move in with him?"

"We're kind of having a rocky relationship. He's been keeping things from me, so I'm just being on the cautious side."

"What? What kind of things? Are they bad?"

"I'm not sure," Elena admits, "I didn't pry. He said he didn't want to talk about them."

"Don't you think you have a right to know what he's been doing at night when he's supposed to be in your bed, 'Lena? I think you're giving him too much leash," Bonnie says.

"Maybe I am. There are just so many kinks in our relationship. On a lighter note, I got accepted into NYU for pre-med," Elena smiles.

"What? Oh my god, Elena, that's amazing!" Caroline shrieks and jumps to embrace Elena.

"I'm really happy for you, Elena, but...are you going to move to New York?" Bonnie questions with a look of sadness.

"It's not definite," Elena explains, "I'm probably going to stay for the medical degree at NYU School of Medicine. I can decide to come home to do my internship and residency, which is most likely what I'll end up doing."

"Uh...have you...have you talked to Damon about this yet?"

Elena shakes her head no, "I'll tell him after Miss Mystic Falls. Are you sure you don't want to enter, Bon?"

"Hah, I'm positive. Pageants aren't really my thing. I'll root for you two, though," Bonnie replies with a cheeky smile.

"Eh, I'm not aiming to win. Mostly just doing it for fun and for my mom," Elena tells the girls with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Well, I am aiming to win," Caroline grins, "My grandmother and both of my aunts had won this pageant. My mom's the only one who didn't get the gene. I want this."

"Then I sincerely hope you win, Care. It'll be fun," Elena muses. Looking at the time, she bolts up. "God, it's almost time for the practice. Come on, we're going to be late!"

Caroline and Bonnie dash out of the room, following Elena, and they drive to the high school where the practice is being held.

—

When they arrive at the high school, Elena breathes out a sigh of relief when she sees Damon sitting there.

"Hey, you made it," Elena says, a little surprised.

"I promised, didn't I?" Damon smirks before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "We are going to nail this dance."

"Don't forget, you're not allowed to touch during this dance," Elena reminds him. She laughs softly when she sees Damon's eyebrows shoot up.

"What? How is that considered dancing? It sounds ridiculous," Damon huffs.

"No dissing the near-touch, Damon. This dance goes way back to 1864," Elena states.

"Actually, in 1864, this pageant was cancelled due to vampire hunting."

Raising her eyebrows, she smirks at Damon, "Okay, someone's brushing up on their history. Though I'm not sure how you know it was cancelled because of vampires…" Elena shrugs and drags Damon to where the other partners are getting ready to dance.

When the music starts, Carol Lockwood begins constructively criticizing the couple's once they start dancing.

"Honor your partner. Stay focused, right hand around. Flirt with your eyes. Left hand around," Carol instructs.

"The near-touch is overrated, if you ask me," Damon whispers before smirking.

"Both hands now," Carol says.

Elena rolls her eyes with a smile on her face, "It's different. I happen to like it," She admits.

"I'm sure you like us touching way more, 'Lena," Damon speaks lowly and a mischievous grin appears on his face. Before she knows it, Damon's twirling Elena and dipping her back in his arms.

"Woah!" Elena giggles.

"No! No, there's no touching during this part. It's all about the simple intimacy of the near-touch. Very nice, Amber!"

They both roll their eyes and continue dancing with the near-touch. When the song ends, the partners bow to each other.

"Please tell me that it's over," Damon says.

"Okay, we're going to run it from the top! Practice makes perfect, and none of you are allowed to leave until your dance is perfected. Go again," Carol orders and the music starts again.

"Damn."

—

When rehearsal ends, Elena and Damon meet up with Stefan, Caroline, and Bonnie.

"That was the most frustrating dance ever," Damon mutters to the others.

"Aw, is Damon mad that he couldn't touch Elena during the dance?" Stefan teases and receives a smack in the arm. "Hey!"

Damon offers a smirk before giving Elena a chaste kiss on the cheek. "I've got to go now, but I'll see you tomorrow for the pageant."

"You better be there," Elena sternly tells him. "I'm counting on you."

"I will be there," Damon promises. He kisses her on the lips before leaving.

Elena turns back around and is bombarded by questioning looks. She responds by shrugging her shoulders, not wanting to overthink the whole situation. If she over-thought, then she would doubt.

"He didn't tell you where he was going?" Caroline wonders aloud, glancing at Stefan and then focusing on Elena.

"Nope," Elena responds, popping the p. "I'm not going to ask because he's going to say that he can't tell me. And before you guys start, yes, I realize how bad that sounds. I'm reevaluating everything that's being put forth in our relationship."

Bonnie nods in an understanding way. "We just don't want to see you get hurt again, Elena. I know Damon has these...tendencies."

"He does," Elena agrees, "Hopefully, this pageant will hopefully be our lifeline. I don't want our relationship to go down in flames."

"Yeah. Honestly, you both really deserve a happy ending," Stefan says. "We've all grown up together, and it would hurt if you guys called it quits. Heh, in case you haven't noticed, we're all kind of Delena shippers."

"I guess we'll just have to see, won't we?"

—

The next day, the girls are getting for the pageant in the Founders' Hall. Miranda's helping Elena curl her hair while she puts her makeup on.

"Thanks for helping me, Mom," Elena says, lightly dusting blush on her cheeks.

"Oh, of course, Elena. This is exciting, isn't it?" Miranda gushes, allowing ringlets to fall down Elena's back.

"You could call it exciting. I'm kind of nervous, though. And I'm not really aiming to win. Caroline wants it more than I do, so she should really win," Elena responds, lightly patting balm on her already perfect lips.

"Just as long as you have fun, I don't care if you win. And your nerves will settle soon, you'll see. There, your hair looks perfect. Aw, Elena, you look beautiful."

Blushing, Elena adds some mascara to her lashes. "Thank you, Mom, though you say the same thing when I wake up with a bedhead."

"Well, I'm sure Damon will say the same thing," Miranda assures her, squeezing Elena's shoulders.

"Speaking of, have you seen him yet?" Elena asks, feeling a little uneasy.

"I'm sure he'll be here, honey. Don't fret, you've still got a bit of time."

"If you say so, Mom. Okay, I'm going to go put my dress on." Elena stands up and walks back to the dressing room, lightly flicking Caroline's curled locks on her way.

When Elena makes her way back to the room, she sees that Amber's already in there, looking quite nervous while pacing.

"Amber? Are you okay?"

"I hate being the center of attention. I get panic attacks."

"Hah, I can't blame you. I feel the same way, most of the time. Do you want some privacy to change?"

"Um, actually, I'm just going to get some air."

"You want some company? I could use some air, too. It smells too much of hairspray and world domination around here," Elena smiles.

Amber returns the grin and nods, looking noticeably less jittery. Together, they walk down the stairs and outside. Elena lets out a deep sigh and leans against the mansion.

"Oh, Elena, you're going to mess up your hair," Amber says, already patting it down.

"Eh, I couldn't care less. I'm mostly just doing this pageant for fun. My best friend, Caroline, really wants to win."

"Caroline, the blonde bombshell?"

Elena lets out a chuckle, "That would be the one. So, who's your escort for this shindig?"

"Jeffrey Lockwood Hamilton," Amber replies, looking a little bitter.

"Sounds like a mouthful."

"A cocky bastard is what he is. I didn't want to participate in this in the first place, but then my mom made me. And then she practically forced my hand in letting Jeffrey be my partner."

"Oh, I'm sorry, but I hope you still have fun."

"Same here. Who's your escort?"

"Pfft, the elusive Damon Salvatore. For all I know, he could be across the country right now."

"It sounds like you expect him not to show…"

"Well, he's not here now. He knows how important this pageant is, and if he ditches me, I will be so pissed," Elena rants, clearly stressed out.

"If it's any consolation, he'd be an idiot to not show up."

Elena smiles gratefully, "Thank you, Amber. We should probably start getting our dresses on, but it was really nice talking to you."

"You too, Elena. Did you want to change first, or…?"

"Nah, you can go ahead. I'll be up after."

"Okay," Amber says before entering the house.

Elena blissfully walks around and then notices Matt, who starts walking towards her. "Hey, Matt."

"Hey, 'Lena. You ready for this?"

"I'd feel a little more prepared if my escort was actually here."

"Oh. Damon's not here yet?"

"Nope. Hey, could you do me a favor? If he doesn't show up for introductions, could you take his place?"

"Well, I don't really know the dance moves-"

"I'll lead," Elena interrupts, "Just...please, Matt? You'll save me from getting embarrassed in front of the whole town, and I'll be eternally grateful. If that's not enough, I'll buy you lunch."

"Alright, I'll do it. Geez, Elena Gilbert drives a hard bargain," Matt says with a grin.

"Thank you, Matt. I really appreciate it," Elena replies, relief flooding her voice, "You're pretty great."

Giving him one last nod, Elena heads back over to the house and enters the dressing room. She looked over her sapphire blue dress and quickly got dressed. Looking at the time, Elena realized that there was only one more hour until introductions. She stepped outside of the dressing room and ran smack into Alaric.

"Oh, god, I'm sorry...Ric?"

"Hey, Elena. That was completely my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going," Alaric apologizes profusely. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay. So, um, do you just come to pageants as a pastime?" Elena teases with a smile.

"Well, as the history teacher, I guess I just like coming to all town events. Even if this one isn't very historical."

"Apparently, it's not. This event supposedly didn't even happen in 1864, due to vampire hunting," Elena says, rolling her eyes.

"Speaking of, where is Damon? I heard he's your escort."

"I wouldn't know these days. It's not like he tells me anything."

"Oh...alright, well, I guess I'll tell you what I was going to tell him."

Elena lifts an eyebrow and cocks her head. "What were you going to tell him?"

"How I came back to life."

Elena's eyes brighten at this and she eagerly leans forward. "And how is that?"

Alaric lifts his hand and wiggles the finger donning a ring. "This ring."

Elena takes his hand and examines the chunky ring on his finger. "Wow, this feels heavy. So, you just come back to life if you're wearing this ring? Pretty badass if you ask me."

"Yeah, but I only come back to life if something supernatural caused my death," Alaric explains. "If I die from something normal, then I stay dead."

"Weird…" Elena continues looking at the ring. "Where'd you get it?"

"My wife. Isobel."

Elena's head shoots up at Alaric's confession. "Isobel? Uh...what exactly was her maiden name?"

"Umm, that would be...Sommers."

"Oh my god," Elena exclaims, "You were the kind husband, weren't you?"

"Uh, pardon me?"

"My mom had a sister named Isobel. She said that Isobel had married...you were married to my recently revealed aunt, weren't you?"

"Huh. You are Miranda's daughter, so...oh, wow. Elena Gilbert, you're my niece."

"I never knew of Isobel before. My mom said that she had turned into a vampire before I was born."

"Yeah," Alaric confirms glumly, "She turned into freaking Godzilla with high heels and designer clothes. A real stone-cold bitch, if you ask me."

"And she's the reason why you became a vampire hunter?"

"Basically, yeah. I guess I wanted to avenge the human wife that I had...who died at the hand of vampires. But no matter what I do, I'm never going to get her back."

"Don't dwell on her. She made her choice, and you made yours. You're allowed to move on, Ric. Be happy."

"Thank you, Elena. Heh, this pageant was a real eye-opener."

"Truly," Elena agrees. She suddenly hears Carol making an announcement to all of the guests downstairs. "I guess introductions are going to start. Wish me luck."

"Good luck, but you don't really need it," Alaric says with a wink before disappearing down the stairs.

All of the contestants begin gathering around the top of the stairs. Elena peers over the railing and mentally kicks herself when she doesn't see Damon. Thankfully, Matt is standing with the other escorts, looking a little bit nervous.

Elena turns around when Caroline pokes her in the shoulder. "Hey. I take it by your face that Damon…"

"Ditched me for who knows what? Yeah, yeah, he did. Don't worry, I asked Matt to fill in for him."

Caroline's eyes widen as she digests the reality of the situation. "Wait, what's going to happen now?"

"Um, well, let's see. I put my faith in him, and he let me down, knowing how important this was to me. I think it's safe to say that our relationship is slowly draining down the sink."

Gulping, Caroline nods. "You deserve better, Elena."

"Let's just get this over with. I want to get back to the boarding house before him and get my stuff so I can get out."

Carol calls the contestants' names and their escorts until only Caroline and Elena are left.

"Miss Caroline Forbes, escorted by Stefan Salvatore."

Caroline mouths 'good luck' before descending down the stairs.

"Miss Elena Gilbert, escorted by...Matt Donovan."

Thankful that Matt had the name changed, Elena walks down the stairs with a fake smile plastered on her face. She stiffly takes Matt's hand and they walk outside for the dance. Elena can see her parents in her peripheral vision, not wanting to imagine the looks of sympathy they had on their faces. Bonnie and Jeremy were also somewhere in the crowd, and Elena didn't want to know what kind of thoughts were going through their heads. And then there was Stefan who kept occasionally casting glances at her, his face a mask of the same utter disappointment that Elena felt.

"You okay?" Matt whispers as they bow and curtsey to each other.

"Let's just get this over with," Elena responds monotonously.

They begin the dance when the music begins. Elena tries to focus but her thoughts drift to Damon, no matter how hard she tried to force him out of her mind. It was annoying as hell, so Elena just stared into Matt's own baby-blue eyes. Eventually, Elena allowed herself to get swept into the song and away from her churning thoughts. She even let herself smile a little, despite her emotions raging inside. Unbeknownst to Elena, Damon made his way out of the woods near the house and was surprised to see her and Matt dancing. Especially not expecting her to be smiling, Damon felt a little angry. He knew he had no right since he was late, but he couldn't help it. Clenching his fists, he backed away from the pageant and went back into the woods.

Once the music ended, all of the partners bow to each other again. Elena looked around and saw that most of her friends and family were staring at her. She inwardly cursed, knowing that Damon ditching her would cause these kind of reactions from her loved ones.

The contestants walk onto the stage set up and wait for the Mayor to announce the winner. Caroline shoots Elena a look.

"Elena-"

"Not now," Elena stops her, holding her hand up.

The Mayor comes over and walks onto the stage. "Before I crown the winner, I'd like to offer a personal thank you to all of these ladies for their efforts to better our community." Everyone applauds. "So, without further ado, it is my honor to announce our very own Miss Mystic Falls, Caroline Forbes." More applause. Caroline's crowned and she looks surprisingly shocked.

Elena turns to her and gives her a hug. "Congratulations."

"Elena…"

"Congratulations," Elena repeats. "You deserve it, and I'm happy for you. I, uh, I'm going to go to the restroom." Elena flashes another fake smile before walking off of the stage and into the house.

Making her way into the bathroom, Elena closes and locks the door. She runs her hands through her hair in frustration and lets out a deep breathe. Suddenly, she punches the glass mirror with such force that it breaks and shatters. Immediately regretting that decision, Elena holds her bloody hand in pain. "Shit. Bad, bad idea."

She hears knocking on the door but is too preoccupied with trying to get her hand to stop bleeding. Giving up, Elena wraps it in the towel and opens the door to see an entourage of people.

"I'm hope you're all not in line for the bathroom." Elena deadpans, holding up her towel-covered fist. "I think I broke my hand."

The things that followed were exactly what Elena had been dreading. She was being fussed over, apologies and condolences being thrown her way. And of course, she was rushed to the hospital to have her hand checked out. Luckily, it was just a sprain and she only needed a splint.

After convincing everyone that she wouldn't have a mental breakdown, Elena went back to the boarding house. After making sure no one was home, Elena went upstairs to Damon's room and began gathering her stuff, dumping it in a carry-on.

She pulled her shirts from her side of the closet and grabbed her toiletries from the bathroom. Elena made sure to leave every article of clothing of Damon's that she owned. After one last look around the room, Elena sighed in defeat.

Suddenly, she heard the door slam. Elena closed her eyes, hoping and praying that it was just Stefan. But Stefan never slammed the door. He never walked so heavily up the stairs. And he never barged into bedrooms without knocking first.

Confusion was evident on Damon's face as he took in what was happening. "Elena?"

"Damon," Elena replied without emotion before grabbing her bag and curtly walking past him.

"Where are you going?"

"Away from here. More specifically, away from you."

"Wait, wait. Can we just talk first?"

Dumbfounded, Elena turns around. "Talk," she repeats. "You want to talk?" Elena lets out a humorless chuckle. "Go find some other poor sucker to talk to. I'm done trying to talk."

Elena tries to walk away, but Damon ends up grabbing her wrist. "Elena, stop. We need to work this out."

Yanking her wrist back, she shook her head furiously, "No, no, there is nothing we need to work out. I'm done. We are _done_ , Damon."

"Elena, don't leave. I just...I can explain."

Elena spins around on her heel and puts her hands on her hips. "Can you now? Okay, Salvatore. Explain why the hell you weren't at the one thing I specifically requested you to come to, knowing how important it was to me."

"I got...caught up."

Elena raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms. "And what was so important that it couldn't wait until tomorrow?"

"I…"

Elena noticed something on his dark button-up which made her even angrier. "No, no, I get it. You were too busy having a snack, right? That's blood on your shirt. So, you've been feeding on things that aren't blood bags this whole time, is that it? Is that what you've been keeping from me?"

"It's not what it looks like, Elena. I haven't been…"

"You haven't been using people as fast-food meals? Is everything you say a lie, Salvatore?!"

"Okay, look, yes...I have been feeding on people, but that only started this week. I swear I wasn't lying the whole time, Elena."

"Because that makes it so much better?! What exactly made you think that was okay?!"

When she doesn't hear a response, she nods sarcastically. "Okaaay, I think I get it now. You've been hanging out with another vampire, right?"

Silence.

"Screw you, Damon. I should never have trusted you," Elena says before picking up her bag once more and walks towards the door. At least, she attempts to but Damon's blocking her way.

"Oh, you've screwed me, all right," Damon replies snappily. "I'm a vampire, not a damn puppy. We eat people. We enjoy the feed and the kill, and when it becomes too much, we turn it off."

Elena's eyes widen in horror when she realizes he knows about the humanity switch. She angrily grinds her teeth. "Go to hell."

"You've been keeping me on a stupid-ass leash, Elena! Keeping me from embracing my nature, forcing me to drink from blood bags? It sucked!"

Elena finally loses her cool and practically screams at Damon. "You son of a bitch! God, what the hell is wrong with you?! Are you freaking high on blood right now?! I need to get out of here…" She pushes her way past Damon and runs down the stairs, almost making it to the door before she's stopped. Again.

"What do you want from me?!" Elena cries, shaking her head. "Are you punishing me? Trying to rip my heart from my chest? Because if that's what you're trying to accomplish, you did a damn good job. My mother told me all vampires were bad news! Why did you have to go and prove her right?!"

Elena tries shoving past Damon again, but he grabs her arm. Staring into his unflinching, cold eyes, Elena watches as his pupils dilate.

"Stay here," Damon growls.

Silence. And then the sound of Elena's palm harshly slapping Damon's face ran through the air. "Did you just try to compel me?! Has it really come to that? Have you forgotten that I have this stupid-ass necklace you gave me?" Elena rips it from her neck and throws it at Damon. "Take the damn thing, I don't want any reminders of you. God, you're a monster, Damon. You all are. I completely and utterly hate you." Elena makes it out of the house and into her car. She speedily drives home and then rushes into her bedroom, collapsing into tears.


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Days have passed since the confrontation with Damon and Elena has not left her room since. She's heard numerous knocks on her door but didn't bother opening it. Her phone had also been ringing nonstop so Elena chucked the battery.

Deciding that enough was enough, Elena got up and grabbed her laptop. After a whole lot of typing, Elena sighed and closed it again.

She had done it. She had bought her ticket to New York, and her flight was in two days.

Elena opens her door to see a bunch of people sitting in the hallway. "What the hell is this?"

Caroline immediately shoots up and tackles Elena in a hug, sobbing her eyes out. "Oh, god, Elena. Oh, god, oh."

Bonnie also stands up, along with her mom, dad, and Jeremy.

"I'm going to kill him. No excuses, no nothing," her father seethes.

"I'm helping," Jeremy adds, looking quite pissed off.

"Me, too," Caroline states, her lips stretched in a thin line.

"Count me in," Bonnie says in a quiet voice.

Elena notices that Alaric and Stefan were still on the floor. She breathes out a long breath and shakes her head.

"Don't bother. For one, he's not worth the effort. And two, I'm not even going to be in town."

Everyone's eyes shoot up to Elena who walks down the stairs and into the kitchen. They all follow her with concerned looks on their faces.

"Elena...what are you talking about?"

"Where are you going?"

"You're planning on leaving?"

Elena slams the glass she got out of the cupboard onto the counter. "Would all of you shut up, please? Look, I need to get out of town. Nothing personal to any of you, but I can't be here. I already bought the ticket and my flight leaves in two days. It's one-way." Elena opens the fridge and gets out the pitcher of water just as everyone starts speaking at the same time. Elena calmly pours herself a glass and sips it while tuning everyone else out.

"Elena, you can't run away from your problems. Heh, I mean, all of us would be willing to kick Damon's ass in your honor," Stefan nervously says.

"I'm not running, Stefan. I was going to go to New York anyways since I got accepted in NYU for pre-med," Elena explains.

"You did?! That's amazing!" Miranda shrieks. "Congratulations, honey!"

"Uh, thanks, Mom. Hey, do you have any things of, umm, vervain? I kind of threw the necklace that had some at Damon's face, so…"

"Oh...yes, of course. I'll go get you some…"

"I remember when Damon first got that necklace engraved. He was so excited to give it to you. I guess it was a symbol of his 'eternal love' for you," Stefan says, looking pretty glum.

"People change. He changed. As much as we all hate to admit it, I can't be with the person he is now. Oh, and by the way, you know the secret he's been keeping from me these past few weeks?"

Everyone nods.

"Well, he's been hanging out with another vampire and started feeding on people. He said I screwed him over, keeping him from his true nature and whatnot. I know I should feel really angry right now for the lies and everything he yelled at me...but I don't feel anything. Heh, how messed up am I?" Elena humorlessly chuckles, tracing the rim of her glass.

"There wasn't any violence, was there?"

"He tried to compel me, so I slapped him across the face."

"Oh my god. I really hope you slapped him hard enough to knock some sense into his clearly diseased vampire brain," Caroline muses.

"He'd really go as far as compulsion?"

Elena shakes her head yes.

"Damn...wow, he sounds very messed up. Do you think this vampire he's hanging out with is trying to make him think this way or something?"

"I wouldn't know. Um, all of you guys don't have to stay with me. I'm not going to have mental breakdown, at least not anytime soon. If I do, I'll be sure to call for a family therapy session," Elena smiles her fake smile. "Once I find my phone better," She mutters.

"We'll be back to see you tomorrow then, 'Lena."

"Actually," Stefan says, "How about Elena comes over to my place and we can all hang out, considering it'll be your last full day in Mystic Falls."

"Your house? Stefan…" Elena starts to shake her head no, but Stefan stops her. "I swear, I'll make sure Damon won't be there. I actually haven't seen him in the past couple days, anyway. Please, Elena? It'll be like a little goodbye party."

Elena sighs and looks around at all of her friends' hopeful faces. She gives in and offers a tiny smile. "Okay, okay. As long as you promise that Damon won't be there, I'll come."

"I promise," Stefan grins.

"Thank god for the one trustful Salvatore," Elena teases and ruffles Stefan's hair. "Your hero hair was looking a little too perfect today. I had to mess it up a little."

—

Elena looks at herself in the mirror, and she had to admit, she looked a little worse for wear. There were dark bags under her eyes, which she covered with a little concealer. Her skin was noticeably paler since she hasn't been outside in a while, and she was looking a little thin. Her hair looked less shiny than usual, and her eyes didn't have their usual brightness to them. Not to mention, she still had the splint on her hand.

Elena tiredly runs her fingers through her hair and looks around her room for sentimental things she wants to bring with her to New York. She grabs a picture of her, Caroline, and Bonnie from her nightstand and put it in her suitcase. Another one with her, Jeremy, Miranda, and Grayson all laying on the grass together. She takes a frame with her and Stefan, and one more with Matt.

Inwardly, Elena wished she had digital versions of all of these pictures, but she didn't. And she needed some reminder of all her friends and family who were still in Mystic Falls, while she was in New York, all by herself.

Now her dresser had bare spots of where they used to sit. There were only a few left, but most of them were of her and Damon, and they're placed flat on the surface so Elena couldn't see the reminders of what they used to have. It would hurt too much.

She throws a bunch of clothing into her suitcase and packs the necessary toiletries, including her favorite shampoo and conditioner. After adding shoes, pajamas, chargers, and her laptop, Elena sat on her suitcase and attempted to zipper it up, which was almost impossible. Once she managed to close it completely, Elena dusts her hands off and looks rather pleased with herself.

Her face falls when she sees a shirt hanging in her closet, one that was once Damon's. It was her favorite shirt of his to sleep in, so she stole it, plain and simple. Elena takes it off of the hanger and examines it in her hands. The familiarity of scent, cinnamon and mahogany, was mixed in with her own green apple and honey. She buries her head in the shirt, breathing it in one last time before she puts it back in her closet. Elena had contemplated throwing it away, but she changed her mind, wanting the last reminder of him in her past.

Elena brushes the tears seeping from her eyes and rolls her suitcase near her bed. She ties her hair up in a bun and goes downstairs to see her parents quietly talking at the kitchen table. They stop when they see Elena and give unconvincing smiles.

"Elena, honey, are you going over to the boarding house?"

"I am," Elena nods, fiddling with her sleeves. "Uh, I finished packing. Heh, I'm raring and ready to go."

Both of her parents give her sad smiles. "We're really proud of you, Elena. You made it into NYU for pre-med, and now you're going to be living on your own. Ugh, you're all grown up," Miranda says, a little tearful.

Elena turns a little red and slightly smirks. "Just as long as you don't rent out my room to strangers, or worse, give it to Jeremy, I'll come and visit as often as I can. Who knows, maybe I'll be back before you know it. I'm probably going to stay to get my medical degree, so I'll end up applying for NYU School of Medicine. Eight years will be a long enough break from this town."

"Take a break, see what New York has to offer. Don't dwell on what's going on here," Grayson advises, squeezing Elena's shoulder.

"And...Elena? It's okay to move on while you're gone. I know not anytime soon, but when you're ready, give yourself a chance to find a nice, normal man. Who knows, maybe you're the kind of woman who has two soulmates in the world," Miranda says.

"One can only wish. A part of me will never be able to move on, since I knew and loved Damon for so long, but...I'll give it a chance."

"Oh, before I forget, here's a vervain bracelet, like you asked for. You can never be too careful," Miranda warns. Elena smiles and puts the bracelet on her wrist.

"Okay, thank you. Hey, I gotta get to the boarding house, but I'll see you guys soon," Elena replies with a wave before exiting the house.

—

When Elena arrives at the boarding house, she inwardly groans, noticing all of the balloons floating by the entrance. She thought that this would be a low-key goodbye party, but if Caroline had something to do with it, it'd be everything except small.

Once Elena enters the house, she nearly trips over all of the balloons and streamers scattered everywhere. Looking up, Elena sees Stefan, Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, Matt, and Alaric all sheepishly grinning.

"Heh, what is this, a celebration?" Elena questions, looking up at the banner that reads 'we'll miss you!'. "How did you have time to blow up all of these balloons?"

"Oh, trust me, that was all Bonnie. She has a lot of hot air," Matt explains and then gets smacked by her.

Elena notices the table covered with booze and grins widely. "Now that's what I like to see. I call the tequila," Elena shouts before grabbing the bottle and taking a sip.

Jeremy grins and attempts to steal the bottle from her but Elena pulls back. "Hey, hey," Elena admonishes.

"Come on, 'Lena, you're leaving us tomorrow. Cut your little bro some slack with the alcohol," Jeremy teases.

Raising an eyebrow, Elena takes another sip from the bottle. "I was going to say go get your own. I trust that you'll be responsible with your booze intake when I'm gone, though. I don't want a call from the hospital saying that my little brother got alcohol poisoning from indulging too much."

"Deal," Jeremy agrees before grabbing his own bottle of bourbon.

"Alright, everyone," Caroline announces, "Even though this is a super sad occasion, we are all going to have fun tonight! No self-pity, or sulking, or brooding of any kind! Got it?"

"Got it!" Everyone choruses. Caroline flashes a smirk before turning on some very loud music. Everyone stares at each other for a moment, and then they all erupt into party-mode.

The night starts off with dancing. A whole lot of dancing. Elena somehow ends up on Matt's shoulders, gulping down vodka. "Damn, that's some good stuff!" She exclaims before throwing the bottle into the fireplace. Leaning her head back, a blissful smile appears on Elena's face.

When Elena starts seeing flashes of light, she turns her head to see Stefan snapping pictures of her on Matt's shoulders. She throws him a wink and a smile before hopping off of Matt's shoulders.

She saunters over to him and plucks the phone from his hand, facing the camera towards them. "Say cheese, Stef," Elena grins and takes the picture before he has a chance to react. "Man, are we photogenic or what?" Elena laughs, staring at the picture of them.

"Oh, god, Elena, delete that picture. I blinked!" Stefan protests, trying to steal the phone back.

"Nope!" Elena giggles. She quickly types something before handing Stefan his phone back. "Here you go, I sent the picture to my phone."

Stefan's eyes widen but Elena's already skipped away.

—

Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline are dancing around the parlor, each with their own bottle of wine. They waltz on over to the couch and collapse in a heap of giggles.

"We are going to have such a hangover tomorrow," Caroline exclaims while pouring herself more wine.

"Oh, sleep it off, Care," Elena replies with a grin. "If I didn't have a flight tomorrow, I'd be staying in bed all day, watching Netflix with a trash can by my side."

"Well, you just described all of my weekend plans, 'Lena!" Bonnie laughs and steals Caroline's bottle of wine, only to see that it's empty. "How much wine did you drink, Care?"

"You know, just a tad," Caroline attempts using her fingers to reference how much she drank.

"God, we're all practically alcoholics! Hah, I mean look at us all wasted," Elena wiggles her eyebrows.

"Whaaat? I am not even drunk! My tolerance is, like, way up here!" Caroline jumps, indicating with her hand in the air.

"You'd fail the walk-and-turn test, Care!"

"Mm, you're probably right. Hey, where are the guys at?"

"Ehh, probably in the library taking shots."

Caroline's eyes widen and she jumps up, wobbling a little. "Let's go join them!" She dashes off towards the library, so Elena and Caroline uncoordinatedly follow her.

When they arrive in the library, they see a bottle of whiskey that's almost empty.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you girls drank more than us," Alaric says with both of his eyebrows raised. "You know, if I was a responsible adult, then I wouldn't condone underage drinking."

"And yet, here you are, Ric!" Elena grins, "You're hanging out with all of us, which automatically makes you irresponsible. How about we kick it up a notch and do shots?"

"Ooh, we should play Never Have I Ever!" Caroline immediately takes a seat next to Stefan and picks up another bottle of whiskey.

Everyone agrees, some more reluctant than others, and they all sit down.

"Okay, who wants to go first?"

"I'll go," Elena says, staring around the room. "Never have I ever flirted my way out of a speeding ticket."

"Hey! That's not fair," Caroline grumbles as she pours herself a shot and downs it. She's not the only one, as Alaric also takes a shot. Elena smirks at the two of them before gesturing for someone to go next.

"Alright, I'm going next. Never have I ever...fainted," Alaric says, looking each person in the eyes. Elena, Matt, and Caroline all take shots.

"Matt, you, too?" Elena teases, elbowing him slightly.

"Well, yeah, I was just at work one day, and then someone came in smelling like rotten fish. No joke, I could not stand being around the guy, so I asked someone else to cover that table. Too bad the smell was so strong because I ended up fainting behind the bar," Matt explains with an embarrassed chuckle.

"Aw, poor Matty."

"My turn," Stefan says. "Never have I ever injured myself trying to impress the person I liked." Alaric and Jeremy take shots.

"Jer, what did you do? And who was it for?" Elena questions with a giggle.

"Umm, well, heh, it was actually for Bonnie."

Bonnie's eyes widen and she leans forward, looking intrigued. "What'd you do, 'cause I don't remember you doing anything dangerous before."

"Technically, it really wasn't the most dangerous thing. Honestly, it's kind of embarrassing. I remember when we were little how you always wanted to pet a groundhog, so when I saw one in our yard one day, I managed to trap it. I was going to give it to you on your birthday, but he ended up biting me and escaped. So...that's why you got a really crappy ninth birthday present."

"Oh, yeah! I remember you gave me a stuffed groundhog that year, which, by the way, I still have. It was still a good gift, Jer, and honestly, the fact that you tried to catch me a groundhog is really sweet," Bonnie grins and pecks Jeremy on the cheek. "You were a pretty cool nine year old, even if you did get bit by a groundhog."

Jeremy blushes when everyone starts smiling uncontrollably. "Alright, alright, we're pretty adorable, I know, but stop looking at me."

"Okay, one more because I'm starting to feel really beat. And I'm pretty sure I can't feel my cheeks," Alaric says, squishing them together.

"Umm, I'll go. Uh, never have I ever made a mistake that I'll regret for the rest of my life." Bonnie crosses her legs and leans back on the couch, watching Elena, Alaric, and Stefan all take shots.

"Wow, bad decision central, huh? I'm not even going to ask because you all have those sad faces on," Caroline remarks. "I feel really wasted right now. Can we just have a sleepover or something?"

"My flight doesn't leave until the evening tomorrow, actually, so I'm cool with staying over," Elena replies, laying down on the couch and letting her feet rest on Jeremy's lap.

"Elena, I love you, but get your nasty feet off of my lap," Jeremy teases before pushing Elena's feet away.

Pouting, Elena tells him, "Jer, be a nice brother for once and let me use you as a footrest. Pleaseee?"

"Ugh, whatever. And by the way, I'm always a nice brother," Jeremy states, rolling his eyes. Elena swings her feet back onto Jeremy's lap and blissfully closes her eyes.

"Make sure I'm up, anyone, before noon tomorrow so I won't miss my flight," Elena says sleepily before closing her eyes and passing out.


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

Elena groans and rolls over, only to fall off the couch and onto the floor. She holds her head as she sits up.

"Damn hangover," Elena mutters quietly, careful not to disturb the others who are sleeping. She tiptoes away from the group and then practically runs into the bathroom to puke her guts out.

Entering the kitchen, she sees that Stefan's already up. She gives him a smile and then starts looking through the cupboards.

"It's the one above the sink, 'Lena."

"Oh, right. Thanks," Elena replies appreciatively before opening the door and pulling out the aspirin. Stefan had already prepared her some water so she throws back a pill and washes it down. Rubbing her eyes, Elena walks over to Stefan, who's sitting at the table with a newspaper, and plucks and peach out of the bowl.

"Mmm," Elena groans in satisfaction when she bites into the peach. "You always had the best fruit."

"I couldn't agree more," Stefan nods before going back to the paper, slightly grimacing when he reads an article.

"What's with the frown? Are you reading a really bad comic in the Funnies or something?" Elena questions, snatching the paper away from him.

When Elena scans the article, a hint of anger and sadness flicker on her face before she sets the paper down and goes to the fridge.

"So, what do you want for breakfast? It looks like you're out of lot of stuff, but I can make you some french toast. It'll be a first come, first serve kind of thing, since I don't feel like making it for everyone. And don't worry about time, I'll have enough…" Elena says while pulling ingredients out of the fridge.

"Elena...I get it. Honestly, we both feel the same way, so you don't have to hide what you're really thinking right now," Stefan tells her in an empathetic voice.

"What I think is that you need to go to the store. You can not live off of fruit for the rest of your life, as much as we'd all like to. Promise me that you'll buy yourself some food when I'm gone so you don't look like a stick figure when I visit."

"You're dodging. Denial isn't going to get you anywhere. You can tell me what you think about him, Elena."

"He's your brother, Stefan. I can't tell you how I really feel about him," Elena deadpans.

"You want to know what I think of him? I think he's being a dumbass. He lost whatever good he had in his life by going down this road. And yes, I wasn't there to hear what he said to you that night, but him acting like a dick was the last straw for you, and I completely respect it. He's my brother, but there's no excuse here."

"I hate him, Stefan. I hate him for what he said, how I screwed him over by keeping him from becoming a homicidal maniac. I hate him for ditching me on Miss Mystic Falls for some shitty vampire buddy. I hate him for becoming this person. But really...I hate myself for believing him. For believing that he thought I was worth fighting for, that he would keep his promise, and that our relationship wasn't on its final lifeline when he died. I can't keep doing this to myself because I know I'll go insane, so that's why I have to cut him out of my life," Elena admits while her eyes water. "And I know that I can't trust him again, at least not with my heart."

Stefan wordlessly embraces Elena while tears silently run down her face. She closes her stinging eyes and clears her mind from the toxic thoughts of Damon Salvatore. Elena pulls away and wipes her eyes.

"Do you still love him…?" Stefan questions quietly.

Elena sighs deeply, "I'm can't go down that road, Stefan. I'm too messed up in the head right now as it is to think about it." She slightly shakes her head and gives Stefan an utterly false smile. "So…french toast." Elena turns back to fridge and rifles through it while Stefan looks at her disbelievingly. He picks up the paper from the table and throws it in the recycling bin, showing the top article headline of how two students are in the hospital for extreme blood loss, both in hypovolemic shock.

—-

"Oh, Elena, we're going to miss you so much! Ahh, you have to call us at least three times a week! And you have to visit, like, super often!" Caroline cries while hugging Elena.

"Care, I'm not going across the world. And, yeah, I'll come visit as much as I can, but you guys can visit me, too. Plus, this'll only be for a few years, eight at the most," Elena assures her.

"A lot can change in eight years, 'Lena. But don't worry, we'll all still be best friends! Take care of yourself."

"You, too," Elena smiles tearfully before moving to Bonnie. They wordlessly wrap their arms around each other in a tight hug.

"Be careful in New York, 'Lena. It's pretty crazy up in the Big Apple," Bonnie warns.

"I think Mystic Falls can give New York a run for their money, but don't worry about me. I'll be alright. Just be your usual mother-hen-self around here, okay?"

"Deal," Bonnie winks at her.

Elena turns to Matt and gives him a quick peck on the cheek. "Keep up the good work at the Grill, Matt. Try not to faint on the job anymore. I'll be sure to buy you lunch on one of my visits back here," Elena says lightheartedly.

"Will do, 'Lena. You get your medical degree, okay?"

"I'll do my best," She teases before looking at Alaric. "Bye, Ric," Elena gives Alaric a hug. "Try not to get yourself killed with all of the vampire hunting business you do."

"Eh, odds of survival are in my favor," Alaric remarks with a smile. "Be happy, Elena. You deserve it after all the crap you've been through."

Elena chuckles, "It'll take a while for me to reach that point, but I'll give it a shot." She moves over to Stefan who ends up picking her up and keeps her dangling in the air for a minute. Caroline sneakily takes a picture and then shoots Elena an innocent smile.

"I'll send it to your mom," Caroline promises cheekily.

"Great," Elena grumbles. "Stefan, make sure all of these idiots here get to college in one piece as well. You're categorized in that, too."

"Hah, we'll all be at Whitmore, 'Lena. It's too bad I won't have my personal chef around for a while."

"Pfft, I knew that was why you tolerated me," Elena laughs. "And I know this'll be a sore subject around here for a while, but…could you keep your brother from falling too far? I may turn into a ball of rage every time I see him, but I don't want to see him get any worse…"

"I can try, but that requires him to show his face. He hasn't exactly been around…" Stefan replies quietly. "He hasn't exactly been a good role model, but he's the only family I've got left, so...I'll try to knock some sense into him."

Elena grins and nods, "That's all I ask." She finally looks at her brother and tackles him in a big hug. "Aww, Jer, I'm gonna miss you, but if you move into my room, I will castrate you. Got it?"

"Alright, alright. I'll miss you too, 'Lena. You better be down for my graduation," Jeremy ruffles her hair.

"Yeah, yeah. I'd never miss my little bro in a cap and gown. Um, so...I guess I'll see you all around throughout the next few years. Heh, I guess I'm going to go home and get my suitcase...and then I'll be off."

Caroline and Bonnie blew kisses, Matt and Alaric waved, Stefan gave a wink, and Jeremy gave her a thumbs up. She drew a shaky breath and gave a smile wave back before turning to the door and opening it.

She sighed deeply, wishing she'd left a little earlier. Anything to prevent what was going to happen. Shaking her head, Elena backed up a little, still staring at the ground. "If you're here to yell or something, please save it for another time."

"You're really leaving?" Damon questioned in a quiet voice.

Most of the people gathered behind Elena edged forward to block her from Damon but she held up a hand. Looking up, Elena saw how worse for wear he appeared. His disheveled hair paired with messy clothes took nothing away from how prominent the depression showed on his face. He looked utterly lost.

"Mhm," Elena murmurs quietly. "Excuse me, I have a plane to catch and I still have to say goodbye to my parents."

"Is this my fault…?"

He sounded so broken that Elena wanted to throw her arms around him, but she scolded herself that he was out of chances. "It's college," She shortly replies.

"I'm messed up, I know. I practically threw everything we had down the disposal. It's all my fault, but please don't leave like this, Elena. I screwed up and I wish I could take it all back."

She wanted nothing more than to believe him, but she couldn't. Not after everything that she just went through. "I can't do this now. I...I have to go," Elena mutters.

"I don't know how to live the right way anymore. Everything that I do is a mistake and I know that. I need a little bit of good in my life. Just...god, I need you, Elena."

"There's nothing left of my heart to give, Damon. You have friends and family who care about you, who can give you what I can't. Talk to Stefan. Hell, talk to Ric. I can't be a rebound for all of the wrong decisions you make. I'm sorry that things ended like this…" Elena can see the hurt and sadness as clear as day on Damon's face. She closes her eyes, allowing tears run down her face and walks through the door, letting out one last "Goodbye."

—

Sobs rack Elena's frame as she says goodbye to her parents. They're all engaged in a group hug, each letting tears loose.

"You're going to do great, sweetheart. You'll get your medical degree, and we'll be waiting for whenever you decide to come home," Miranda tells her.

"I'm going to miss you guys so much," Elena cries into their clothing.

"We will visit you as often as you'd want us around. And you can always come home for vacation. Remember that this is only for roughly eight years," Grayson reminds her.

"I'm scared," Elena admits quietly.

"And that's okay, honey. New York is a big city, but you're strong. You have the willpower to get through whatever gets thrown at you."

"As long as you always carry a can of pepper spray around with you, I trust that you'll be okay."

Sniffling, Elena nods. "I love you guys." Sniff. "I'll call you when I get there. I expect a visit soon."

"We promise. Now go kick ass, Elena. We love you."

Elena takes the handle of her suitcase and rolls it towards the door. Giving her parents one last look, she walks out of the door and gets into the waiting Uber.

—

'And this is why I hate airplanes,' Elena thinks to herself as she stares at the man currently snoring next to her on the plane. She rifles through her bag and takes out some earbuds. Listening to music, she stares out the window and looks at the passing clouds.

 _flashback_

 _"I hate this. I can't believe you got me to agree. I look like an idiot," Elena huffs, trying to balance herself on the roller skates._

 _"If it makes you feel any better, Blondie and Stefan also look like idiots," Damon reassures her. "Look at them, tripping over each other's feet."_

 _"Well, they somehow look elegant when they trip. I, as a matter of fact, do not," Elena replies as she wobbles on her feet. She glares at Damon when he decides it's a perfect time to start laughing at her. "Listen, bud, if you didn't have your nifty little vampire agility, then you'd be falling flat on your face. You weren't exactly the most coordinated person."_

 _"Hey! I was more coordinated than you," Damon teases with a smirk._

 _"Everyone's more coordinated than me, so that's not saying much."_

 _"Touché," Damon says before taking Elena's hand and spinning her. She shrieks and almost falls backwards but manages to grab onto Damon's shirt sleeve. There Elena dangles, literally by a thread or two._

 _"You're lucky you're so light, otherwise you would've ripped my sleeve," Damon murmurs before hoisting Elena back on her feet._

 _"Then it would've been on you, considering you're the one who spun me in the first place," Elena retorts, re-cuffing Damon's sleeve. She sticks her tongue out at him and starts making her way towards Caroline and Stefan._

 _Unfortunately for her, Damon manages to grab her hand and spins her again, this time against his chest. She gasps on impact and then plans to turn around to playfully smack him, but his arms are holding her in place. Elena smiles when Damon lovingly nuzzles her face and kisses her cheek._

 _"Oh, you're so insufferable sometimes," Elena grins lightheartedly._

 _"But for some reason, you still love me," Damon remarks with a raise of the eyebrow. "I wonder what that says about you."_

 _"Hmm. It probably means that I'm just as insufferable," She replies before turning around and kissing him. He smiles and pulls her waist flush against him._

 _"You know," Elena whispers, "If we end up making out in the roller rink, there's a good chance I'm gonna end up falling. Weak knees or otherwise."_

 _"It's a good thing I'll be here to support you. I'll always support you," Damon responds._

 _"Which means you'll always be in my life?"_

 _"Always."_

 _"Promise me that what we have is forever."_

 _"I promise," Damon answers before crashing his lips against hers once again._

Elena jolts awake and ends up banging her head on the airplane window. Realizing that they're descending in New York, Elena sighs and rubs her forehead. Thinking back to her dream, she smiles and plays with the loose string hanging from her jacket. Oh, how she wished that promise would've been held up.

—

When Elena steps out of the airport with her suitcase rolling behind her, she takes a deep breath and starts waving frantically for a taxi, since whistling was not one of her specialties. A cab pulls up next to her and Elena puts her luggage in the trunk before getting in. As the car pulls away, Elena feels ready and willing for college as excitement and nervousness overtakes her. It was going to be a long eight years.


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

 _Two Years Later_

Elena steps out of the Mystic Falls Airport with her suitcase and grins. Her little brother was graduating. She looks around for her parents' car and rushes towards it when she sees it.

"Mom! Dad! Hi!" Elena exclaims when she gets into the car.

"Hi, sweetie," Miranda smiles at her when they start driving away.

"How have you been?" Grayson questions. "It's been a few months since our last visit, eh?"

"I've been good. School's challenging but I'm happy," Elena chuckles. "I can't believe Jeremy's graduating. Has it already been two years?"

"Time flies," Miranda replies with a wink.

"Listen, Elena…" Grayson starts when they arrive at the house but she's already dashing out of the car. She bursts into the kitchen and sees Jeremy.

"Oh my god, Jer! You're graduating!" Elena traps him in a tight hug, which he reciprocates with a grin.

"I am! How's life going for you, 'Lena?"

She shrugs and smiles, "It's going." Miranda and Grayson enter the house, both with equally apprehensive looks on their faces.

"Elena...there's something you-"

Elena's eyes widen when she hears the jingle of a collar. She walks into the living room to see a border collie puppy. She gasps in delight and spins around to look at Jeremy.

"You guys got a dog?"

"Yeah, we did. His name is Meeko, and we got him roughly three months ago," Jeremy explains. Elena's smile expands as she bends down to stroke Meeko's head.

"Aw, he's so cute. I love border collies. You're adorable, Meeko, aren't you? Mhm, yes, you are," Elena cooes, rubbing him behind the ears. Her phone suddenly starts ringing.

"Hello?"

"Elena! Are you back in town?"

"Heh, hey, Stefan. Yeah, I'm back for Jeremy's graduation. What's up?"

"There's something you should know, and I need your help. Do you think you could come over?"

"Yeah, of course. I'll be right there," Elena says before hanging up. She turns around and sees the looks on her parents' faces. "Um, you two look like you've got something on your mind. Heh, is there something I should know?"

Miranda and Grayson exchange glances before they slightly shake their head. "Uh, no, sweetie. I'm sure you'll find out what's going on soon enough…"

Elena laughs nervously and glances around at the awkward stares. "Alright...well, I'll be over at Stefan's, so...see you later, I guess." Elena grabs her keys and walks out the door.

—

Elena stands in front of the large wooden door, remembering the last time she was here. It had ended in tears, of course, because she'd decided to break all things off with Damon once and for all. She pushed those depressing thoughts to the back of her mind and stuck the fake smile on once again. After knocking a few times, Stefan peeks out.

Elena noticed something was off. He looked like he'd aged a good few years and he appeared to be exhausted. Still, Stefan smiled at her.

"Elena, hey. I'm glad that you're home for a bit," Stefan says, though weariness is clear in his voice.

"I'm glad to be visiting," Elena replies, "Are you okay? You look tired and, uh, stressed."

"Oh, trust me, I am. You can come in. There's something we need to talk about."

"Right," Elena muses before stepping in the house. The first thing she noticed was how trashed the place looked. Inwardly cringing, she walked further into the parlor and saw her two best friends.

"Elena," Caroline smiles. "It's really good to see you."

"Likewise, you two," Elena tells them both. It seems that the awkward looks and apprehensive stares were contagious around here. Both Bonnie and Caroline didn't meet Elena's confused expression with their eyes.

"Okay, I've seen enough of these glum looks to know that something's wrong. So, whatever it is, just tell me. Oh, wait, god, no, don't tell me-"

The front door swung open harshly, hitting the wall. In comes Damon, whistling with his eyes closed. "Katherine, is that you I heard?"

Stefan, Bonnie, and Caroline all froze, looks of fear and annoyance plastered on their faces. Elena, however, crosses her arms and awkwardly coughs.

"Not Katherine…"

Damon's eyes snap open and stares at everyone, his eyes eventually landing on Elena.

"Oh, wow, am I seeing things, or is that Elena Gilbert standing in my living room?" Damon questions with a cold smile on his face. "What an unpleasant surprise."

"Oookay, I see you're still an asshole. Is that what you all wanted to tell me?" Elena deadpans.

"Elena, that's not Damon. Not really," Stefan says in a quiet voice.

"It's me, alright, Stefan," Damon rolls his eyes. "This is just the me who doesn't give a shit."

Elena scoffs and picks up her things. "Some things never change. I'm sorry to cut this reunion short, guys, but I'm going to head home."

"No, wait, Elena…" Bonnie starts, desperately grabbing her arm. "You can't...we...we need your help."

"Bon-Bon, you wound me, thinking that Elena, of all people, is the one who can fix what's not really broken? I'm disappointed," Damon remarks snarkily.

"His humanity's off," Caroline blurts out. "It's been off ever since you left, and he's been killing people left and right."

"What the hell?!" Elena shrieks, dropping her keys. "I thought you guys were going to keep him from falling off the edge."

"We couldn't! He really thought that the only person he needed was you. And when he lost you, he lost himself."

"Stop with the dramatics, brother. I didn't need anyone back then, and I sure as hell don't need anyone now, especially the self-righteous bitch over there," Damon retorts.

"Right. I'm the most self-righteous bitch there is," Elena spits out. "I try to make everyone feel bad about themselves because they know how morally superior I am."

"We already knew that, Elena," Damon replies. "Though, it feels nice to finally hear it come out of your mouth."

"I came back for my brother's graduation, not this. I'm not going down any roads with you, ever again," Elena snaps before picking up her keys and heading towards the door.

"There's a sight I'm familiar with. Elena Gilbert's back when she runs away from her problems."

Elena takes a deep breath and turns around once more. "You should really be thanking me, Damon. Honestly, I think that us breaking up was the best thing that happened to you. It gave you a chance to hang out some more with Katherine. You know, the vampire that you didn't tell me you were hanging out with before we broke up ."

The surprise that flashed in Damon's eyes was quickly replaced by indifference, but Elena caught it. "You thought I didn't know which vampire it was? I figured it out the first week after I left. Ohh, Katherine Pierce, my freaking doppelgänger. Except, you know, she was the vampire who turned you, and the only other damn vampire in town. No wonder you'd go for her. I'm sure you guys screw all of the time."

Caroline, Stefan, and Bonnie are all gaping at Elena. They glance at Damon who actually seems to be faltering.

"My relationships are none of your business. You don't know anything about me anymore," Damon seethes angrily.

"And whose fault is that?" Elena sighs. "I think understand the gist of the last weeks of our relationship. Let's see if I got this right. You only had eyes for her, but kept coming back to me for some odd reason. I'm not a vampire, she is, and she looks exactly like me. I can't think of a better replacement. So, have fun doing the tango with my look-alike, Damon. I hope she's good in the sack."

"Shut...up…" Damon growls lowly.

This only causes Elena to slyly smile. "Are you mad?" She chuckles and shakes her head. "That's nice. Heh, I can only imagine the feelings that get stirred up when you have sex with her, Damon. Or is this a kind of no-strings-attached relationship? Either way, I hope you have fun with Katherine, since, you know, you've lost me forever," Elena whispers before turning around. "We both know how little you actually cared in our relationship."

"Damn it, Elena, you were everything to me! I didn't want or need Katherine! Just you…" Damon snaps.

"It seems that everything and nothing are the same in your book. Sounds like your humanity's back, so I'll be going now. Have a nice life, Damon," Elena says before walking out the door. She could hear things breaking and people yelling inside, but Elena ignores it. When she gets in her car, Elena breaks into sobs and rests her head on the steering wheel.

—

"Welcome parents, family, and friends. What a beautiful day for graduation. Thank you for joining us on this special day as we celebrate our graduates. So, let's get started," The mayor announces.

Elena zones out as he starts calling names. She had spent all of the night before thinking. There were so many things that she desperately wanted to fix but couldn't. Anything that she used to have with Damon was broken, and he made sure of that. Though, she didn't expect him to turn off his humanity after she left.

"Jeremy Gilbert! Congratulations," the mayor says as he hands Jeremy his diploma. Elena, Miranda, and Grayson all begin cheering and clapping loudly. Tears are shed by her parents, but Elena was all dried up. All she could do was offer him a big smile and clap as loud as she could.

Elena honestly just wanted to go back to New York. Everything there was so much simpler. No complications. She hoped that the six more years she had of school would be enough to completely heal herself. Maybe even move on, though she doubted it. Damon was the first and only guy she ever loved romantically.

Shaking her head, Elena focuses her attention back on the mayor who was almost finished reading the names. Applause ensued afterwards.

—

"Congratulations again, Jeremy. I'm really happy for you," Elena tells him as she rolls her suitcase down the hall.

"Are you sure you have to leave so soon? You just arrived yesterday," Jeremy asks with a sad expression.

"I wish I could stay longer. But mentally, I'm just not ready to be back here," Elena explains quietly.

"But it's been two years already," Jeremy protests. "Two years since you've been back. Everyone misses you."

"You've visited me before in New York, you can visit me again. Listen, I'm sure everyone knows the real reason of why I'm leaving. It's too much."

"I don't."

Elena sighs and gives Jeremy an 'are you stupid?' look. "What do you think has the power to drive me away from Mystic Falls so quickly, not including school."

Jeremy narrows his eyes. "You've talked to Damon, haven't you? I know, I should've warned you that his humanity was off. Death was becoming so prominent on the news, it was ridiculous."

"And it was my fault that he turned his humanity off, I've gathered. Everyone's saying that after I left, he lost himself. Well, I got it back on, so hallelujah. Let's just pray that no one else in this town dies. The population's too small as it is," Elena says as she goes down the stairs.

"Wait, it's back on? That's great. Maybe he'll start acting like himself again," Jeremy muses.

"Jer, he hasn't acted like himself in years. Don't get your hopes up. He hangs out with Katherine Pierce, for crying out loud. Bad influence, I think so," Elena grumbles.

"Who's Katherine…?"

"Vampire who looks like me and turned him. She screwed him in the head and now she's just screwing him."

"Oh my god. Elena…"

"It's fine, Jer. I really don't care what he does these days," Elena replies. She sees that Meeko has made his way over to her so she picks him up. "Aw, Meeko, I'm going to miss you. You're too cute not to have around." Elena kisses the top of his head and she receives a lick in return.

"Meeko really seems to like you," Jeremy points out.

"Yeah, it seems so." Elena puts him back down. "Okay, I've already said goodbye to everyone else. Mom and Dad are coming down for a visit next week, so you're welcome to join. Or, you could come next month when Stefan, Caroline, Matt, and Bonnie visit."

"I'll visit you next week," Jeremy promises. "How's it feel living with a roommate, by the way?"

"Oh, Megan? It's fun, actually. She's a really good friend and she doesn't pry about my past, which is a major plus."

"What about that guy in your classes? What was his name…?"

"...Liam. He's cool, too."

"So are you guys just friends, or…?"

Elena's eyes widen and she smacks Jeremy on the arm. "Yeah, we're just friends."

"Right, right," Jeremy mutters. "Well, we don't want you to miss your flight, I guess. I'll see you next week, 'Lena."

"See you then, Jer," Elena gives him a tight hug before waving one last time and heads out the door.


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

 _three years later_

There were screams. Screeching of metal. Sirens. Flashes of light. It felt warm, but Elena wasn't sure. She heard gasping next to her. And then it stopped. Silence. Elena couldn't move. She wasn't sure if she was dead or not. There was no pain, but maybe she was just numb. It felt like she was suffocating in her own mind. Eventually, blackness overtook her.

—

Elena awoke to steady beeping. At first, she thought it was her alarm. Unfortunately, she was not lucky enough to be waking up for college. She slowly opened her eyes and took in the scene. She was in the hospital. Her parents were there. Her brother was there. She heard voices outside the room, but couldn't differentiate them.

"Oh, god, Elena...oh my god," Miranda cries, making her way over to her. "How did this happen? Oh, god…"

Something felt wrong. Actually, everything felt wrong. She hurt everywhere. Well, her face didn't hurt that much, but everything else did. And then she remembered the events of the previous night.

" _Elena? You doing okay over there?" Megan questions her as she drives._

 _"Uh, well, you're driving a tad too fast, Meg," Elena replies while holding tightly onto the seat. "You might wanna slow down a little bit."_

 _"No, we can't slow down. We'll be late for his party. And honestly, we are not people who would look good showing up fashionably late."_

 _"Megan, seriously, you're going too fast. We're practically going twenty miles over the speed limit!"_

 _"Relax, 'Lena, I'll get us there. It'll be fine," Megan assures her._

 _"No, no, you need to slow down. You're going to cause an accident!"_

 _"There are hardly any cars on this road anyways, Elena. You need to chill out."_

 _"How the hell can I chill out?! Oh my god, stop the car! Stop the car, Megan! We're being tailed by a police officer now!"_

 _"Ugh, seriously? Police be damned," Megan mutters but harshly presses on the brakes. The car squeals to a stop. Elena and Megan take deep breaths but they're suddenly thrusted forward. The police car following them hadn't slowed down and was going the same speed that they were. It had effectively rammed into the back of their car, which sent it flying._

 _"Shit!"_

 _They were stuck upside-down in the destroyed vehicle. Everything hurt but then it stopped. Elena heard gasping come from the driver's seat, which eventually stopped. The sound of an ambulance worked its way through Elena's brain, but she couldn't react. Everything felt wrong. Unconsciousness then fell upon Elena._

"No! No, no, no…" Elena cries as she lays in the hospital bed. "W-what happened to her? Is she dead? Why does everything hurt so much?!"

"Elena Gilbert, twenty-four years old. Diagnosed with multiple fractures, and she's externally hemorrhaging from the open wounds on her stomach. Elena also has a slight concussion," Dr. Laughlin explains.

Elena can see her parents sobbing by the door and her brother stares at her with an unidentifiable expression. The accident keeps replaying over and over in her head. In slow motion, she can see the car flip upside-down with her and Megan in it. Flashes of blood and bones appear in Elena's mind and she starts hyperventilating.

"Oh, god, make it stop! Make it stop! I can't...I can't breathe! Just make it stop!" Elena weeps hysterically. Dr. Laughlin ushers a nurse to inject Elena with a sedative, which calms down her sobbing a bit.

"Elena may also be experiencing a case of PTSD," She tells them.

That only causes Miranda and Grayson to cry harder while Jeremy stares at the floor, unmoving.

"Where is she? Is she dead? What happened to Megan?" Elena asks quietly while sobs continue to rack her body.

"I'm terribly sorry for your loss. It looks like Megan King has passed away due to cardiac arrest. One of her ribs looks like it had punctured her lung, which increased pressure on her heart. We sadly lost her at the scene."

Elena's lip quivers as she continuously shakes her head back and forth. "This can't be happening...this can't be happening…"

"I'm so sorry, dear," Dr. Laughlin consoles. "Alright, we're going to have to schedule a surgery to have your stomach wounds stitched up. How does your head feel?"

"Hurts…" Elena mutters quietly. "It just feels like a headache."

"Okay, I'm going to give you an acetaminophen, which is a pain reliever. It'll help with your headache," she assures Elena.

"I know," Elena mumbles, "I'm in medical school."

"Well, we'll get you all fixed up and back to school in no time."

"Thank you, Dr. Laughlin," Grayson tells her.

"Please, call me Jo. I'm going to go look at your x-rays, Elena, and I'll be right back." Jo exits the room and then a bunch of other people file in.

"Oh my god, Elena! Are you okay? Wait, of course you're not okay! I'm stupid, forget that I asked that," Caroline rambles as she approaches Elena.

"We came with your parents and Jeremy as soon as we heard about the accident," Stefan admits, looking a little teary-eyed.

"The police said that there was one fatality in the crash," Bonnie sniffs, "We were all so worried."

Elena stiffly nods and offers a small smile. "Thank you all for coming. Shouldn't you guys in college though?"

"You're more important," Matt tells her with a chuckle. "We all want you to feel better."

"Heh, that's reassuring, knowing you don't wish death upon me," Elena teases. She looks over and sees Jeremy staring emptily over at her. "Jer…? You okay?"

"My sister was just in a car accident. Of course I'm not okay," Jeremy sighs sadly. "I didn't know what to do or think. Hell, I didn't even know if you were going to make it. They said you kept slipping in and out of consciousness, but that none of your injuries were fatal."

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure I'll be scarred for life. Literally and possible figuratively, 'cause of the PTSD. But I can make it through this, Jer, with everyone's help…"

"Alright, people, excuse me...doctor coming through," Jo sings lightheartedly. "Okay, if Miranda and Grayson could come over here please? I'd like you to see Elena's x-rays."

When they make their way over, Jo points to Elena's humerus. "If you can see Elena's humerus right there, there's a midshaft fracture. That won't require surgery, only a coaptation splint, followed by a brace." She points to the tibia. "Your tibia has a slight fracture as well, which can fixed with a cast and brace. And lastly, it looks like your ankle is sprained, but we can just put an elastic bandage on it and you'll be as good as new before you know it."

"Oh...alright. I'm surprised that's all, considering the car was flipped on its top completely," Elena muses.

"Well, you're a very lucky lady, Elena. And for your mild case of PTSD, I recommend visiting a psychiatrist, just to be safe."

"Yup," Elena replies, popping the p. She notices someone else enter the room and grins. "Hey, Liam."

"Elena, I'm so sorry that you had to go through that. I know you and Megan were on your way over…"

"It's not your fault," Elena rolls her eyes. "I can only blame cars for the accident. Oh, Jo, did you hear what happened to the officer that rammed us?"

"They got away with minor injuries. Speaking of, did you want to talk about if you wanted to bring him to court?" Jo questions gently.

Elena shakes her head. "That should really be up to Megan's parents. They're the ones who lost their daughter. And I'm pretty sure I'm still under my parents' health insurance...right?"

Both Miranda and Grayson nod.

"Yeah, I am. So I guess you could let the officer know," Elena smiles grimly. Jo nods and hurries out of the room. "Everyone here remembers Liam, right?" Elena looks around the hospital room at everyone.

Caroline inches forward and sizes Liam up, slightly more relaxed when she steps back. "Oh, yeah, I remember you. I just have to ask, what are you to Elena?"

Elena's eyes widen, "Caroline, what're you doing?"

Caroline just holds up a hand and looks Liam dead in the eyes. "What are your intentions with Elena, mister?"

"Umm, I mean, we're friends," Liam stammers.

"Just friends?"

"Uh, best friends?"

"Best friends? Nah, she has too many of those already. You're not her boyfriend, are you?" Caroline presses, narrowing her eyes at him. Elena mentally facepalms as Liam turns into a flustered idiot.

"N-no. We've known each other through college and became friends, but that's all."

"Alright, Care, that's enough. You're scaring the poor guy," Stefan coaxes Caroline. She nods and takes a step back into Stefan's arms.

"Sorry, just taking precautionary measures," she assures him with a cheery smile.

"Riiight," Liam suspiciously looks at her before shaking his head. "Did the hospital say when you're getting out of here, 'Lena?"

"Umm, no, but probably not for a while. I've gotta get surgery to get my wounds stitched closed," Elena answers with a shrug. She then turns to Stefan and raises an eyebrow. "So, Stef, tell me. Did you, you know, pop it yet?"

"Erm, 'Lena," Stefan nervously looks at Caroline before giving a slight shake of his head. Elena sighs and nods.

"Right, okay. Is it going to happen soon at least?"

"Maybe when you're feeling better. Wouldn't want you to miss any big planning due to your injuries."

Caroline looks from Stefan to Elena and back to Stefan. "Pop what? What planning? What're you guys talking about? Do you have a disgusting back pimple or something that you need to get checked out at the doctors, Stefan?"

Stefan's face turns red and he glances at Elena who gives a subtle nod. "Mhm," Stefan mutters quietly.

"Aw, Stefan, no need to be embarrassed. We've been dating for five years, I can deal with you having some nasty bacne," Caroline smiles.

Everyone in the room snickers at how flushed Stefan's face looks. He mouths 'this is your fault' to Elena who responds with a wink.

Jo re-enters once more and looks at Elena. "Okay, I think that we should clear the room so that Elena can get some rest. You all can come back tomorrow, though she'll be undergoing surgery for her stomach." Everyone nods and begins exiting the room, bidding their farewells and best wishes towards Elena. She plops her head back on the pillow and closes her eyes.


	19. Chapter 18

**i've actually had this book finished for the most part, but never bothered finishing it on here...whoops. let me know if I should**

 **Chapter Eighteen**

 _It felt like she couldn't breathe. Like the accident was happening all over again. Flashes of pain appeared after the car flipped repeatedly. The image of Megan's lifeless body was burned into her head. She couldn't bear it and began to scream. Screaming was the only way to save herself._

The lights suddenly flicked on in the hospital room and Elena's eyes shot open. She was covered in sweat and let out short breaths. Sitting up, Elena gave the nurse an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, I thought I was only screaming in the stupid dream," Elena mumbles with a wince.

"Not a problem. Would you like anything, dear? A glass of water to calm your nerves, perhaps?"

"Umm, yeah, sure. My head also hurts, so could I get another dose of the acetaminophens?"

"Of course. I'll be right back." The nurse hurries out of the room.

Elena lays back down on the pillow and frowns. She really hoped that her case of PTSD wouldn't last forever. It would suck if she kept waking up to nightmares like these. Elena kept taking deep breaths and ran her fingers through her hair. It was knotted, naturally.

When the nurse returned with the water and a pill, Elena gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you." The nurse nods and exits the room. Elena looks at her broken arm and sighs, considering it was the right one. Of course she was right-handed. Elena pops the pill in her mouth and gingerly picks up the glass, swallowing the water.

Elena tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear and stares up at the tiled ceiling. She had no idea how long this recovery would take, much less get over the PTSD. She hoped that she'd still be able to finish her medical schooling. In all honesty, she was getting a little tired of New York. Yeah, it was a nice city, but Mystic Falls was her home and she missed it. Hell, she missed him but she didn't want to admit it. Not one bit.

—

Elena had just gotten out of surgery for her stitches and she was beyond bored. She wouldn't be able to sleep without being plagued by the nightmares, and there's not much else you can do in a hospital bed.

Elena starts to grin when she hears her friends and family making their way to her room. She lights up when she notices the food that they're carrying in their hands.

"Oh, thank god, I was getting so bored just sitting here," Elena muses with a smile playing on her lips.

"Well, we brought your favorite! We figured you wouldn't want any disgusting hospital food, so here is your Chinese takeout," Bonnie says, holding a bag up to Elena.

"My favorite," Elena hums contently. "Thank you guys."

"Of course, honey. Did you sleep okay last night?" Miranda questions Elena with concern edging her voice.

"If you don't count me waking up the hospital with me screaming in my sleep, then I slept like a baby," Elena shrugs, taking a bite of her eggroll.

"Oh, dear. We're definitely going to have to have a few therapy sessions," Miranda shakes her head.

"What about the surgery?" Stefan wonders aloud. "Is your stomach stitched?"

"Mhm," Elena replies. "It looks ugly as hell, and I'm going to have a long scar on my stomach, but yeah."

"And your head?"

"It still hurts a little. Concussions usually take seven to ten days to heal."

"What about your broken arm and leg? And sprained ankle?" Matt asks.

Elena chuckles, "Wow, you guys are really concerned about my well-being, it's touching. You can all see that my arm's in a splint, my leg is casted and braced, and my ankle is bandaged. It'll take me a few weeks to recover from all of this, but I'll get over it. Not sure about my mind though…"

"Like we said, we'll all be here to help and support you while you go through healing and therapy," Caroline assures her.

Jo enters the room and looks around at everyone in there. "Geez, Elena, you're a popular woman. I just wanted to let you know that we'll be keeping you here for observation for about five to seven days, just to be cautious. You'll be able to go home after that, but you have to take it easy. We can't have you ripping your stitches or injuring yourself any further. A wheelchair is recommended until your leg heals, since your single arm won't be able to support crutches. It'll take about seven to ten weeks for your bone fractures to heal, but your concussion will probably be gone by the time you check out of the hospital. You'll have to come back for a checkup, so we can see if your stitches and bones are healing nicely. Uh, I think that's all," Jo explains and then takes a deep breath.

Miranda and Grayson exchange looks. "Do you recommend any good psychiatrists?"

"Hmm. Yeah, I'd say Dr. Maxfield is one of the best at what he does. I can give you his card, if you want it," Jo suggests. Her parents nod, so Jo exits the room.

"I have to stay in this hospital for another whole week? Ugh," Elena groans before flopping back on the pillow.

—

 _one week later_

"Alright, Elena, it looks like you're a-okay to get checked out of here," Jo smiles. "Just remember, take it easy and be careful. Got it?"

Elena mechanically nods her head up and down. "Uh-huh. Thanks, Jo…" She looks at her parents who give her a reassuring look and then at Liam. Liam was there for emotional support, since most of her other friends were at the dorm, waiting for her to arrive.

She gave herself a quick glance in the mirror and grimaced. The past week hadn't exactly been a good time. Sleeping was becoming a chore, considering Elena woke up during the middle of the night due to flashbacks and nightmares. The prominent bags under her eyes were evidence of that, but her tiredness didn't make her any less excited about getting out of the hospital. She just hoped that the PTSD would cease enough for her to get a good night's sleep once she started visiting a psychiatrist.

"You ready to go, 'Lena?" Liam asks, moving the wheelchair close enough to the bed so that she'd be able to slide into it.

"I've been ready." Elena gingerly swings her legs over to the side of the bed and inches into the chair, with a little help from Liam bracing her. "Thanks."

"Anytime," he replies. They follow her parents and Jo to the front desk.

"Okay, your follow-up appointment will be in about a month, Elena. We'll check to see if your stitches have healed appropriately, as well as getting some x-rays on your fractures. You've mentioned that your head doesn't hurt anymore, so your concussion has healed. The sprained ankle will take another couple weeks to completely heal, but that looks to be about it. You're good to go, Elena."

"Thanks for everything, Jo," Elena says, giving her a small wave.

"Not a problem. Your parents will join you outside once we finish up with the payments."

Elena nods and Liam wheels her outside, towards the car.

"Wait, wait, Liam...the dorm isn't that far away from here. Can we just walk?"

"You want to walk? Like, walk as in me push you all the way to the dorm? In this weather?"

"Right, well," Elena breathes out, "Never mind. Stupid idea."

"Elena...are you nervous about getting in the car?" Liam questions gently. "It's okay if you are, because we can just walk."

"I...okay, I swear I won't make you push me around the city forever, but I just don't feel ready to go back in the type of thing that almost killed me...if it's okay, I'd like to not take the car," Elena mumbles with strands of her hair coming untucked from behind her ear.

"No, it's alright, Elena. I'll just let your parents know real quick, and I'll be back. Okay?"

She nods and he goes back inside the hospital. Letting out a big sigh, Elena pushes her hair back behind her ears and stares at the car. She really wished that the uneasy feeling that was floating in her stomach would go away. Elena knew that she'd have to get over her fear rather quickly, because walking all of the time around New York wasn't ideal. She just hoped that the psychiatrist that Jo recommended was extremely good at his job.

Liam comes back out of the hospital and nods at Elena. "They said they'll meet up with us at the dorm once they finish the paperwork. We can start walking now."

"M'kay," Elena whispers, not taking her eyes off the car. She snaps out of her daze once a strong gust of wind blows all of Elena's hair right back in her face.

"You look cold," Liam points out with concern edging his tone.

"I feel cold. It's the middle of fall, and there's already snow falling from the sky," Elena replies, gesturing to the flurries. "Can we go?"

"Yup," Liam tells her, but not before plopping the hat that he was wearing on her head.

Elena shrugs and pulls the hat down over her ears, and Liam starts pushing Elena in the direction of the dorm.

—

It had been a couple days since Elena was released from the hospital, and now she was making her way to Dr. Maxfield's office for her appointment. Her parents and Liam were accompanying her.

Liam seemed to be around a lot more recently. Yeah, they were friends before the accident, but now he was visiting her every day. She didn't know what that meant, but she knew that he was easy to be around. He was simple, unlike most of the men in her life.

Elena draws out a nervous breath and knocks on Dr. Maxfield's door. She'd never gone to therapy before, and she never expected to. Especially not for PTSD. Although her injuries were gradually improving, her mind was not. She still couldn't get into a car. There were some occasions where she almost got in but backed out the last second. The fear and dread were too much. The nightmares were pretty consistent, too. Elena couldn't remember the last time she had a fitful night sleep.

The door opened just then and they graced with Dr. Maxfield in all of his psychiatrist glory.

"Ah, you must be Elena. I'm Dr. Maxfield, but call me Wes," Wes smiles. He holds out his hand and Elena shakes it. "Why don't you all come in."

Miranda pushes Elena's wheelchair in the room and they all take a seat near the coffee table. Wes takes out a notebook and sits across from Elena.

"It's okay to feel nervous about this, Elena. You're very lucky to have your parents and boyfriend here to support you," Wes says with a wink.

Liam's eyes widen and Elena gives a slight shake of the head. "Uh, no, he's not my boyfriend."

"Oh, my mistake. I'm sorry, you two just looked...never mind. Let's get started with this session, then. Elena, you're here for your case of PTSD, so I'm going to ask you some questions, and I'd like you to answer them honestly." Elena nods and Wes clears his throat. "Do you trust me to help you?"

"I do," Elena replies. "Jo said that you were one of the best...and I really need the help."

"And I can get you that help. Are you comfortable with talking about the accident?"

Elena silently nods.

"Okay. Ever since the accident, how have you felt emotionally?"

"To be honest, I feel the same as I did before the crash, emotion-wise. A little sad, but not to the point of depression. I'm a little stressed since I'm missing college because of it," Elena tells Wes as he writes.

"Is that all you're stressed about?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Now...how have you been sleeping ever since the accident?"

"Awful. Every time I fall asleep, I get these vivid images of the accident. Megan's body, the car, flashes of light...I usually wake up either crying or screaming," Elena admits quietly.

"I see," Wes scribbles on his notepad and then looks at Elena. "Is there anything significant in the room that might be triggering the nightmares, other than anxiety?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. I usually fall asleep with the TV on…"

"The flashing and brightness of the TV could quite possibly be one of the things that's causing your nightmares. I suggest shutting the TV off whenever you go to sleep. And if you don't already, sleep with all of the lights off. Do you have a hard time with falling asleep?"

"I usually let myself drift asleep while listening to the TV," Elena says with a shrug. "Probably not a good idea."

"Yeah. Okay, so make sure there's no electronic devices on while you're attempting to sleep. I think it would be best if you don't use anything with a bright screen before bed for at least an hour, just to be safe."

"Okay."

"If you happen to have any more trouble falling asleep, I recommend trying a white-noise machine."

"Mhm."

"We can also try some Imagery Rehearsal Therapy. You basically reimagine dream so it no longer upsets you. Change the ending so it's not so scary. This type of treatment can decrease the chance of you having the dreams."

"Is there anything else that can help lessen the occurrences of these nightmares?" Grayson questions. "Prescriptions or something? We just don't want to take any chances, in case the therapy doesn't work."

"Prazosin seems to be one of the best for reducing nightmare symptoms. It's not a cure for PTSD, but it'll lower your blood pressure, so when you're about to fall asleep, you won't be nearly as anxious. Since it does lower blood pressure, dizziness can occur. Try the IRT first, and if that doesn't work, then we can resort to prescriptions. We just don't want to take any risks with the symptoms of medications or overdosing."

"Of course," Miranda nods. "What about her car anxiety? Is there anything that can help her get back in a vehicle without the nervousness?"

"Well, there are two ways that we could approach this. There's Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, where you basically think your way through your anxiety. We'd practice realistic thinking, face your fears, and ease your way through the scenarios that could happen while in a car."

"I'd rather be more hands-on," Elena says. "You know, get in the car and get through the problems."

"Alright, then we're looking at Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy. You'll be in the car, driving down the street, on the highway, and so forth. In your case, are you more afraid to drive the car or be in the car while someone else is driving?"

"I think I'm more afraid of letting someone else drive me somewhere. Megan was the one who was driving when the police officer rammed into us. She was going over the speed limit, and then stopped abruptly...that's when the officer flipped us."

"Okay, so it's more about trusting the other person to get you somewhere safely. We'll still have you drive the car, but it'll mostly be a friend or family member driving you around."

"That sounds good," Elena smiles. "So, uh, could we start that whenever all of my injuries have healed?"

"Of course, Elena. In the meantime, why don't you try the methods I've mentioned to reduce your nightmares. Remember, no TV while you're sleeping, and no bright-screened electronics before you go to sleep for at least an hour. White-noise machine, IRT, and if all else fails, we can get you some Prazosin."

"Thank you for your help, Wes," Miranda shakes his hand. "We greatly appreciate it."

"Not a problem, Mrs. Gilbert. It was a pleasure working with you," Wes replies with a smile. "We'll begin working with the car when you feel up to it, Elena."

"Fine by me," Elena agrees.

—

 _two months later_

Elena stood nervously in front of her car, fidgeting with her jacket sleeves. Completely healed of all other injuries, she was ready to tackle her car anxiety. The therapy sessions with Wes had really been helping her. The nightmares were becoming less and less frequent, thanks to turning off her TV and the IRT. Weirdly enough, Elena hadn't been in a car for about two and a half months, mostly walking around the city, even in the unruly temperatures. Wes and Liam were going to be accompanying her in the car, which didn't really ease her nerves.

"Alright, Elena, we're going to start off easy, okay? I just want you to sit in the passenger seat."

Elena swallows and nods, opening the passenger door. After glancing in the car, she hesitantly sits down in the seat.

"Elena, can you describe to me how you're feeling right now?"

"Nervous. Scared. A little freaked out," Elena admits with a chuckle.

"That's to be expected. Okay, now Liam is going to get in the driver's seat, and I'll get in the back."

Liam walks around the car and opens the driver's door, giving Elena a quick smile before sitting down. Wes gets in the backseat with his clipboard and notebook.

"Liam, I'd like you to turn the car on, and then start driving down the street," Wes tells him.

"Wait, just like that? I thought we were going to start off easy," Elena questions, eyes widening slightly.

"This is the more harsher way to treat your anxiety. We're going to try facing your fears right from the start. Now, if I remember correctly, you're afraid of trusting the driver?"

"Well, yes, and also about going really fast. Speed and the abrupt stop is what caused the accident."

"Then that's what we're going to tackle. Obviously, we won't be going as fast, or stopping as abruptly, but just enough for you to get the feel for it. And this'll be happening in an empty parking lot, so no worries about crashing."

"Unless Liam sucks at driving," Elena mutters but shoots Liam an innocent after he gives a mocking glare.

"I'll have you know that I passed my driver's test with flying colors," Liam retorts with a smirk.

Elena just shakes her head and gives a laugh. "Yeah, like I believe that."

Liam chuckles and turns the key, which causes a little bit of erratic breathing from Elena. She clutches at the door handle, ready to bolt, but Liam grabs her other hand.

"Hey, you're okay. No one is going to get in accident today. I promise," Liam assures Elena with a smile. That doesn't seem to help, so Liam takes a chance and presses a kiss on Elena's lips, actually causing Elena's breathing to slow down.

When they break away, Elena's cheeks are flushed, but Liam's just sporting a cheeky grin. "I've been wanting to do that for a while now. It seems to have calmed you down a bit, huh?"

"I...umm, yeah, I guess it did," Elena mumbles, not sure what to think. She liked Liam, but wasn't sure if it was as a friend or something more. The more she thought about it, the safer Liam seemed as a relationship choice. "Okay, well, start driving, mister."

"Alright, alright," Liam starts driving slowly down the road, occasionally glancing at Elena. They both didn't notice Wes' silently humming to himself while staring at the back of their heads with a smile.

It wasn't as bad as Elena expected it being. Her nerves were still there, but the irrational fear that she had expected wasn't. It probably had to do with the incredibly slow speed that Liam was going.

"Okay, there's an empty parking lot behind that building. I'd like you to pull into it," Wes tells Liam, which he does.

"Now?"

"We won't be hitting the highway until Elena is ready for it, but we'll be recreating some scenarios that could happen while driving. Let me know if things get a little too hard for you."

Elena nods for him to continue, so Wes clears his throat, "Okay, Liam, why don't you speed the car up a little bit. Not extremely fast, but about the speed you'd go on the parkway."

Liam complies and starts driving around forty miles per hour. Elena tightened her grip on the seatbelt, but she wasn't scared to death. This was progress.

"Heads up, there's now a traffic jam up ahead, so slow down."

The car eases to a slow stop and all eyes fall onto Elena. She gives a look of reassurance. "I'm feeling okay. I'll probably be freaking out more when there are actual cars surrounding us, but I'm fine now."

"Do you think you'd be able to handle that today? Or do you want some more time?"

Elena swallows deeply but nods. "Yeah, let's do it. I want to get my stupid phobia over with."

—

"Liam...aren't you going a little fast," Elena questions nervously, glancing out the window and then back at her hands.

"Elena, he's going the speed limit, which is good. You're going to be okay, Liam's a good driver."

"Right…"

"Okay, now turn on the exit and we'll circle back around," Wes advises Liam. He nods and takes the exit.

"Wait, Liam, it looks like there's a twenty-car pile-up on the highway," Elena points out, looking from her window. "You should stop the car and turn it around."

Liam quickly presses the brakes on the car, which causes Elena to close her eyes in force of habit. She re-opens them to see that they're turning around on the side of the road.

"We're alive," Elena cheers quietly, letting a small smile slip through. "This isn't as bad as I thought it'd be."

"That means we're making progress. I think we'll call it a day, but we're going to keep going through the same process until you don't feel any fear when you're driving with someone."

"Okay. If it weren't for you, Wes, I'd still be having nightmares and freak out about getting in a car, so thank you."

"Ah, it's my job, Elena, but you're welcome. I don't say this a lot, but you're one of my favorite patients," Wes laughs. "It'll be sad when we say goodbye, but that means I've done my job correctly."

—-

When Elena's session was over, her and Liam were walking back to the dorm. It was awkwardly silent, which made Elena even more uncomfortable.

Deciding that the tension was too much, Elena broke the ice, "So...you kissed me."

"I did. And you didn't pull away," Liam replies.

"You would be correct," Elena mumbles, looking anywhere except in his eyes. "What does it mean…?"

"What were you thinking, exactly?"

"I honestly have no idea. Dating is kind of a sore spot with me...I probably wouldn't be a good girlfriend," Elena admits with a crooked smile.

"Ditto. My last girlfriend had a one-night stand with my brother and ended up pregnant, so…"

"Oh, god. That's...really unfortunate."

"Tell me about it. Look, we both may have been out of the dating game for a while, and had really crappy past relationships, but I like you, Elena."

"You're not too bad yourself," Elena says.

"Would you be willing to give us a try? I mean, it doesn't have to be serious, at least not at first."

Elena shrugs and then throws an arm around Liam lightheartedly. "I've got nothing to lose, so why the hell not? You've helped me through all of this car accident shit, and I deeply appreciate that. So, yes, I'm willing to give us a shot."

"Perfect," Liam smiles, "To be honest, I've had a crush on you for a while, but I think your blonde friend scared it out of me for that time being."

"Oh, that's Caroline for you. That blonde bombshell is one of the best friends anyone could ever ask for."


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

 _two years later_

Elena couldn't believe it. After everything that she's been through, the heartbreak, the accident, the pain, and the recovery, life had thrown this at her like it was no big deal. There were no words. Nothing could describe the immense amount of hurt and sadness she felt right now. Tears leaked from her eyes and she sank to the floor, cradling the phone like it was her last lifeline.

Liam enters the room and sees Elena's curled up figure sitting on the floor. "Oh my god, Elena, what's wrong? What happened?"

"It's all ruined...the progress I've made...my strides towards actual happiness...I'm back to the beginning. It all came crashing down."

"Please...tell me what happened, Elena…"

Sniffling, Elena clutches Liam's outstretched hand and pulls herself up. She staggers over to the couch and collapses on it. "They're dead...they're dead…"

"Who's dead…?" Liam questions softly.

"My parents!" Elena cries, throwing the phone against the wall. "My mom, dad, and Jeremy were in a car crash! A car crash, Liam! Do _you_ know what this means?! It means that my brother is all by himself in the hospital right now, and he's dealing with the grief all alone! He's alone, dammit! He's going through the same exact thing that I did, except worse! And here I am, huddled away in freaking New York, still! Screw cars, screw New York, screw my shitty life. I just need to find myself a toilet and flush myself down it, because I have no idea how the hell I'm supposed to go on without them…"

"Hey, hey, Elena...come here. Shh, hey," Liam soothes, holding Elena in his embrace. Her body is racked with sobs while he continues to comfort her. "Do you want to go home to Mystic Falls? I know you've missed it. Your friends and your brother are there. It's okay…"

"I can't keep going back and forth. I have to find a place and stay there. If I go, Liam, I'm not coming back to New York. Everywhere I go, my bad luck seems to follow me anyways. I'm practically a walking curse."

"You weren't a curse to me," Liam assures her. "I understand, though. Mystic Falls is your home. You and your brother need each other."

"And what about us? What, are we just going to end everything? It was going so well, Liam. We were good, we had simplicity and compatibility and it was the greatest thing that came out of my life here at New York," Elena sobs. "Everything about my New York life sucks, except you."

"If you want, we can try long-distance, but I don't know how that'll work out. Let's put it this way...if we were meant to be, then we'll find our way back to each other. Who knows, maybe I'll move to Mystic Falls one day. If not, then so be it. We both know how good of a run we had together, and it was something much needed after years of emotional turmoil. I'll always love you, Elena, which is why I want you to go back and live your life. This might not be a goodbye, but if it is…" Liam leans in and kisses Elena passionately on the lips.

"I'm sorry that I've never been able to say it back…" Elena tells him with a devastated look on her face.

"Don't be. It's alright. We leaned on each other when we both needed it the most, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I truly hope that we'll keep in touch over the years."

"Yeah...me, too. I'll call you every day that I'm not having a mental breakdown," Elena gives Liam a tight hug.

"You better," Liam teases. "See you around, Elena." Liam gives one last salute before leaving Elena's dorm. She leans against the wall, looking around one last time before grabbing items and shoving them into boxes.

—

 _Elena swiftly got out of her car and closed the door in a harsh fashion. She unlocked the door to her old house and walked in, slightly reminiscent of all the good memories she had in the place. Everything looked like it had before she left. And to think, of all the scenarios she could have come back to, she returned home because of a funeral._

 _Elena slowly treaded down the hallway full of pictures framed on the walls. There was one with her and Jeremy sitting on the porch swing with ice cream cones. Another was with Caroline and Bonnie at graduation. She even had one with Stefan practically lifting her off of her feet in a hug before she left for college. The further she walked down, the more depressed she became. Family portraits were hung in order by year._

 _There was the first one in 1992, before they had Jeremy and right after they had her. Miranda, holding baby Elena, and Grayson were sitting in lounge chairs with innocent smiles on their faces. As Elena went down the line, the pictures got more and more recent, just as the people in them aged older and older. Elena stopped at the last one in the row._

 _It was taken when her parents and Jeremy decided to surprise her in New York. About three months ago, it was taken right in front of the Statue of Liberty. They were all posed like cheesy tourists, which Elena absolutely adored._

 _And that was the last picture there would be of the whole family together. 'No more cliché family photos…' Elena thought bitterly. 'How did everything get so bad in just seven years?'_

 _The door swung open and Jeremy entered with a briefcase. Elena looked up from her hands at the same down the briefcase was put down. That was when the siblings rushed towards each other with long strides and the sounds of sobbing filled the air._

" _Oh, god, Jer...I can't believe-"_

" _-that they're gone...yeah, me too. It was horrible, Elena. I can't even stop thinking about it."_

 _Elena squeezed him even tighter at the thought of what happened. "I'm so sorry that you had to go through that. And the fact that I wasn't even in the damn town, Jeremy…" Elena bursts into tears once more._

" _No, no, hey. Nobody could've predicted that this would happen. You would know first-hand from experience, Elena."_

" _But you had to wake up alone! You were there for me, Jeremy! I should have been here for you! For them...I should have been here...and now they're dead. They're both dead...I can't...if I think about what you had to go through, and how I didn't even get to say goodbye to them, I can't breathe," Elena whispers, practically hyperventilating._

" _Shh, shh, Elena. You're breaking down. I'm here."_

" _But they're not…our parents are dead, and I'm not okay. And I might never be okay. It was a car crash, Jer. I feel like hell, like I'm going to die…"_

" _Hey, Elena, I need you to calm down. We don't want you to relapse. Shh, it's okay..."_

" _It's not, Jeremy. It's not and you know it. These past years of my life have sucked beyond belief. I don't even know if I…"_

" _We'll travel, then. How does Europe sound? I know you've always wanted to visit Paris. Italy, maybe? We could travel anywhere you want to go. I promise you, we can move on. It'll all be in our past."_

" _I've been running for the past seven years, Jeremy. I can't keep doing it. I have to face what happened and I have to move on from it. Everything that happened, everything I went through...running isn't going to solve those problems."_

" _Of course, Elena. We'll do what you think is what's best. If you want to stay, then we'll stay."_

" _I do. I need to get a grip on my shit-filled life."_

"Okay. I guess staying here is the best option, huh?"

Elena sniffs and nods. "Wait, wait...where's Meeko? Is he here?"

Jeremy gestures up the stairs, which Elena immediately bolts up. She scans the hallway for any black and white fur. Finally spotting a tail wagging in the doorway of the bathroom, Elena walks towards it and gushes when she's greeted by Meeko's tongue.

"Aw, Meeko, how are you, boy? How am I? To be quite honest, I feel like jumping off of the Golden Gate Bridge, but don't worry. I'm not suicidal, so I won't do it. You, mister, are the only thing that's keeping me from bawling my eyes out once again," Elena admits while rubbing Meeko between the ears. "I've missed you. But you know what? You're going to be seeing a lot more of me, because I'm staying in Mystic Falls permanently. Yup, no more New York. I can participate in the residency program at Mystic Falls General and become an actual doctor, just like Dad was…" Elena trails off and turns around, sensing that Jeremy had come up the stairs and was gazing sadly at her. She returns his look with a sad smile and stands up.

After letting out a huge sigh and wiping her face from residual tears, she walks over to Jeremy. "So...what time's the funeral…?"

—-

"If you feel that you're going to relapse at all, let me know, okay, Elena? This is going to be hard for you, considering what you've been through. And if you need to, you can step outside," Jeremy tells her.

They were both donning funeral attire, ready to attend their parents' wake. Tears were threatening to spill over her cheeks once again, but she tried to hold it together.

"Yeah, of course. Jer...we're never going to be free of this stuff, are we? This...whatever this is...whatever life we've been living for the past years. There's so much sadness and grief that I'm about to burst from the seams."

"You're right, everything that's happened to us has left some scars, literally and figuratively. You're all that I've got left, 'Lena. If this bad luck or whatever you want to call it continues, I'm glad that I'm going to be stuck in it with my sister."

"That's touching, but not entirely true. You have Bonnie as well, Jer. Remember your wedding that's coming in the summer? Remember your ring? Unlike me, if I somehow die, you'll still have her. But if you do, who the hell am I supposed to go to? Who am I supposed to cry to when my last living relative bites the dust? You and Bonnie are getting married, Stefan and Caroline are married ever since the summer, and I'll just be here with Meeko. Not that that's a bad thing, but still."

Jeremy's eyebrows dip in confusion. "What happened to Liam? I thought you guys were good together."

"I've moved back to Mystic Falls, Jeremy. He lives in New York, and the long-distance kind of relationship wouldn't work out. We parted on good terms, and we still care for each other, but if it wasn't meant to be, it wasn't meant to be."

"Well, I think that the person you've always loved is closer than you think," Jeremy replies in a quiet voice. Elena raises her eyebrows and is about to question him, but Jeremy holds his watch up. "It's time to go. You ready?"

"I'll never be ready to see our parents in caskets. But sometimes, life isn't fair."

—

Elena and Jeremy arrive at the church, tightly holding the other's hand. Elena looks at Jeremy, and he returns her gaze with a reassuring nod. Elena crushes the tissue in her palm that she was holding and attempts to blink back her tears.

"If you happen to feel like you're going to relapse or if it's just too much, let me know, okay?" Jeremy tells Elena with a feeble smile.

"I'll try not to have an anxiety attack," Elena replies shakily. This was going to be extremely hard. Seeing her parents' dead bodies, which were the result of a car accident, and being that she had been in a nearly fatal one not too long ago, she wasn't sure how she was physically standing. Elena reminded herself that she needs to keep it together for her brother, one of the few that has stood with her through her personal issues. "We'll survive this, Jer. Together."

"Together," Jeremy repeats quietly. They enter the church and take their seats in the front row. The others were seated behind them. Caroline, Stefan, Bonnie, Matt, and Alaric. Every one of them had been good friends with the Gilbert parents.

Surprisingly, two more people joined Elena and Jeremy in the front row.

"Aunt Jenna, hi," Elena looks up and sees the kind but sorrowful look in her aunt's eyes.

"Elena, Jeremy, it's great to see you," Jenna smiles sadly. "I wish it was under better circumstances, but good all the same. I've missed you guys."

"We missed you, too," Jeremy tells her, squeezing Jenna's shoulder. "How long are you staying in town?"

"For a while. I know you're both grown adults, but it'd be nice to spend some time with close family," Jenna admits. "Would you mind?"

"Of course not. You're welcome anytime," Elena murmurs. "Forewarning, we have an incredibly adorable border collie."

"I love dogs, so that's a plus. You have no idea how grateful I am for your guys' gesture."

"It's not a problem, Aunt Jenna," Jeremy looks around Jenna's shoulder. "Uncle John. It's nice of you to join us."

"Jeremy, Elena," John shortly nods. "It's been too long."

"Not long enough," Elena mutters so quietly that John doesn't hear her. "Are you going to be staying with us too, Uncle John?"

"I'll be around town, but I won't intrude into your house," John replies stiffly. "Mystic Falls is quite small, so I'm sure we'll run into each other from time to time."

"Right…" Elena folds her hands into her lap and aimlessly looks around the church. Her eyes land on the caskets enclosing their parents. She immediately adverts her gaze and tugs at a loose thread on her dress.

All heads snap up when the funeral music begins playing softly and everyone stands. The pastor approaches the podium and clears his throat.

"We meet here today to honor the lives of Miranda and Grayson Gilbert. It is important for us to collectively acknowledge and accept that the world has fundamentally changed with their passing. Life will not be the same, nor should it be. Together, let us open our hearts and commemorate the impact that Grayson and Miranda had on us. Stand in silence for a moment as we all remember the memories that they have graced upon us."

Elena grips the pew in front of her and shifts from foot to foot. Noticing Elena's discomfort, Jeremy squeezes her hand and gives her a concerned look. Elena shakes her head in response and gives a soft smile. She mouths 'I'm fine'."

"It is now time for Elena and Jeremy Gilbert to come up for their eulogies. The siblings make their way out of the pew and up to the podium. Elena takes her place first in front of the microphone.

After taking a huge breath, Elena starts, "Everyone in this town knew our father. As the town doctor, he cared and appreciated every one of his patients. And knowing how accident-prone Mystic Falls is, he knew almost all of the citizens in this town." Elena offers a small smile when people quietly chuckle. "He was deeply loved and appreciated by all of you, and he returned the feeling without hesitation. His heart was as big as his brain, which was pretty large if you ask me. My brother and I have been through a lot of tough spots in our lives, and our parents were always there to help us. This is one of the hardest things that's ever happened to us, and our parents aren't here, but that's okay. I know what our father and mother would be saying to us. 'Elena, Jeremy, being without parents is next to impossible, but you guys are two of the strongest people we know. Stick together, and you guys will be able to survive this. We love you.' Goodbye, Mom and Dad. You'll be dearly missed."

She steps away from the microphone and allows Jeremy to start his eulogy about their mom. Elena tries her hardest to focus on his words, but her eyes keep drifting towards the caskets. Knowing that your parents were dead was one thing, but seeing their still bodies laying in adjacent caskets did it for Elena.

Her eyes widened and she let out a short gasp. Her breathing began to speed up and images of her past accident flashed through her brain. She quickly mumbled, "I'm sorry, excuse me…" before rushing off of the altar and out of the building. She was vaguely aware of people calling her name. Vaguely aware of making it through the parking lot and crossing the street without a second thought. Vaguely aware of cars honking and screeching to stop from running into her. Vaguely aware of how hard she was breathing. The images would not stop, the sounds were as loud as ever, and it all gave Elena a headache. She just kept walking, and was vaguely aware of when she ran right smack into a person.

"Watch it, woman," the man mutters, clearly annoyed that he'd just been plowed into.

"My bad," Elena whispers quietly, not even bothering to look up. "I'm sorry." Was it so hard to find to a quiet place to call the person she knew would help her through this? Elena began walking away when the man suddenly grabbed her wrist. "Please let me go…"

"Elena Gilbert…"

That voice whipped her head up. This was the last person she needed to run into at this moment. When her tear-filled, chocolate-brown eyes met his unwavering, icy-blue ones, she stumbled backwards.

"This is rich," Damon mutters. "Why the hell weren't you watching where you were going?"

At this point, Elena wasn't sure if she was completely sane or not. Her mental state was a mess, and no thanks to him. Out of the blue, Elena began to laugh. "You're right, this is rich." Elena couldn't stop. Her laughing was becoming more high-pitched, more hysterical. "I can't take this anymore," Elena chokes out as her laughs turn into sobs.

"What's wrong with you?" Damon questions, not showing the least bit of sensitivity.

"Everything. Everything about me is wrong, and it would be so easy to end it. I want to stop this endless suffering. For me and for everyone who surrounds me. I should have died," Elena cries, sinking to her knees. "It should have been me. Just me…" Everything felt numb. She didn't notice the hands on her shoulders or the penetrating gaze fixed on her. She just sat there, completely motionless.

More voices appeared, but Elena didn't hear any of them. She just sat there. Faces lined up in her peripheral vision, but she was too lost to react. She was lost, period.


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

 _She was lost, period._

Now Elena was swarmed with people surrounding her, but nothing registered. Everything was numb. Voices were shouting, but she couldn't make them out. Something was fading, but she wasn't sure what. Finally, her eyes squeezed shut and she collapsed on the ground, unmoving.

—

Breathing was becoming easier. Elena wasn't sure what it was, how it happened. She could hear her heart steadily pumping blood through her body. Sounds faded in and out, but she couldn't make anything of it. Visions of the accident no longer swarmed her mind, which she was incredibly thankful for. Moving wasn't a privilege for her, apparently. Not yet.

—

This time, she could hear things. Distinct sounds. Voices. They didn't sound far away anymore. They were loud and clear. And there was an irritatingly steady beeping sound. It sounded familiar. Too familiar. Elena was desperate now. She wanted to get out of whatever limbo she was stuck in. Using as much strength as she could, she forced her eyes open. She forced herself to continue living.

Elena stared blankly at the faces looking at her. Déjà vu, perhaps? She recognized where she was, and it caused her to internally groan. It seems as though her progress through the past couple years had completely backtracked. She was back where she started, the hospital.

"Why am I here?" Elena asks bluntly, as she couldn't take all of the depressing looks on their faces.

"Elena…" Jeremy starts but trails off due to tears choking him up.

Jenna comes forward and sits on the bed next to Elena. "Elena, there's really no good way to say this, so I'm just going to spit it out. You were in a catatonic state for the last three weeks."

"Was I? I thought I just fainted…" Elena muses quietly. "Or maybe I had such a strong will to die right there, and that's the closest my body got to it."

More tears are shed when Elena looks back up at everyone's faces. "I don't feel that way anymore. Did I have a relapse? Is that what happened?"

"Elena...you ran from the church during the eulogies. Do you remember that?" Elena nods. "Do you remember what happened after that?"

"I just kept waking. I'm pretty sure I almost got hit by a car and I ran into someone. Damon. I ran into Damon and he was an ass. I think that was my breaking point. Why am I so skinny?" Elena quickly changes topics.

"You were unresponsive to everything, so Meredith had to tube-feed you. Back to the point. You don't remember anything else?"

"I remember everything fading in and out. I couldn't hear clearly. I couldn't move or react or do anything. And then I remember the lovely cement hitting my head. That's all."

"None of us knew what was happening. You were unresponsive to everything. Oh, god, we were so worried," Caroline exclaims while wiping tears from her face.

"Thank you all for being here," Elena mumbles before swinging her legs to the side of the bed. "Now let me get the hell out." She begins pulling tubes from her arms but Jenna stops her.

"Elena, you've been catatonic for the past few weeks. You need to regain your strength and rest here for a couple of days," Jenna advises.

"And as much as you don't want to admit it, you're not okay, Elena. Uh, Damon told us how you said you wished you were dead. You just relapsed and ended up catatonic due to all of the emotional trauma. We need to get you more help," Jeremy tells her.

"I had help, Jer. Wes helped me, and I worked through all of my issues. Everything that just happened was momentary, okay? I don't want to kill myself. I can't...that would be selfish of me. I was just spouting off shit that I didn't really mean. And I can regain my strength at home, Jenna," Elena says before pulling out the rest of her tubes. She wobbles a little when she stands but doesn't fall. "Let's get out of here, please."

"Elena…" Stefan warns in a concerned tone. "I don't think-"

"I don't want to think about it, okay? Not about any of these depressing emotions. I just want to get to the comfort of my own home and stay there. No more shrinks, no more therapy, no more talk about my instability. At least not for a very long time," Elena proposes.

"...we should talk about this eventually, Elena. We have to," Jeremy sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

"And we will," Elena assures, "I just can't now. It's too soon. Now will you guys please get me out of here?"

—

 _the next day_

"So...anything interesting happen while I was drifting in some mind-void?" Elena asks as she takes a big bite of her grilled cheese. Caroline, Bonnie, and herself were hanging out in Elena's house alone, since Jenna and Jeremy were both out.

"Uh, nothing that you'd want to know," Caroline chirps as she sits down at the table. Elena looks from Caroline to Bonnie and back to Caroline.

"Are you sure? Three weeks is a while to be kept out of the loop."

"Well, seven years is a while to be kept out of the loop," Bonnie informs her with a teasing smile.

"Ah, you're right, Bon. I've been away at New York for seven years, but now I'm back. And it's not like you guys didn't call me every week to inform me of everything going on. But unlike being in New York, I was in a catatonic state where cellphone reception was not a thing, so care to explain what I missed?" Elena smiles sweetly but her eyes give a 'you'd better tell me' look."

"Honestly, it's really nothing. We all spent most of the time with you in the hospital, but you just had...an unexpected visitor, per say."

"Oh, it's more than that, Bonnie. Remember, Damon kept checking in on you when he thought no one was in the room. He was really worried about you, 'Lena. You should've seen his face when you collapsed."

"Caroline!" Bonnie scolds.

"What? It's true! This is the most human he's acted ever since you left five years ago. Usually, he's a cold, sadistic, snarky asshole and doesn't know-"

"Caroline," Bonnie shakes her head and gives Elena a quick glance before looking back at Caroline. "Plus, I think the fact that he's hanging out with Katherine overrules anything good he does these days. Which is little to nothing," Bonnie mutters before rolling her eyes.

"He's still hanging out with Katherine?" Elena asks with distaste.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure he calls it a 'relationship', but they're really just using each other for sex," Caroline says. "Trust me, it's annoying as hell. I hear them every almost night in the bedroom next to ours."

"Still," Elena repeats, dumbfounded. "How come you've never told me this stuff over the phone?"

"We just figured you didn't care about anything Damon did anymore. And something like that isn't a topic we thought you'd want to chat about over the phone," Bonnie confesses.

"I...let's change the topic," Elena finishes up her grilled cheese. "Bonnie, you and my brother are getting married this summer! We're gonna be sister-in-laws!"

Bonnie's smile widens and she nods. "We are! We're gonna be family!"

"Aw, you guys are already my family," Elena grins as she looks at Caroline and Bonnie. "I've missed you both so much."

"We've missed you too, 'Lena, but you already knew that," Caroline says with a laugh.

"We're just glad that you're home for good," Bonnie adds.

"On the topic of relationships, what happened with you and Liam?"

"Oh, we ended things on a good note. It was a good and easy relationship, which I needed at the time. He lives in New York though, and I live here. It wouldn't have worked."

"You don't look too distraught over it," Caroline points out.

"We're still good friends. He said he'll always love me, and that's why he let me go."

"Have you ever told him that back?"

"No," Elena admits with a sheepish smile. "I don't know why. It just didn't feel right."

"I think I know why," Caroline sings.

Elena cocks an eyebrow at her in confusion. "And why is that?"

"Because you still love-" Caroline starts to say but Bonnie slaps her hand over her mouth.

"Please tell me that you weren't going to say Damon," Elena muses.

Caroline shrugs in response, and Bonnie suddenly pulls her hand away, wiping it viciously on Caroline's shirt.

"Care, why the hell did you lick me?" Bonnie complains as she dries her hand off.

"What'd you expect?" Caroline deadpans before turning back to Elena. "As a matter of fact, yes, I was going to say Damon."

"Care, he's the reason I'm on this freakishly annoying emotional rollercoaster in the first place. I know it's been years since our falling out, but I'm not ready to forgive and forget. Plus, he's acting like an asshole. You said so yourself."

"Right, but that's only because he doesn't have a good influence in his life," Caroline argues.

"Stefan's not helping him out?"

"Damon cut all ties with us. He sleeps at the boarding house, but that's it. No interaction with him, whatsoever," Caroline informs, quietly muttering, "Thank god."

"Sounds like he's turned out to be a swell fellow," Elena murmurs sarcastically. "I guess we'll just have to see how things end."

"Yup," Caroline replies, popping the p. "In the meantime, we need to throw you a welcome home party!"

"A party?" Elena's forehead creases as she thinks it over. "I really don't need a party. Everyone already knows I'm back."

"It's for fun, 'Lena! Did you forget what that is? C'mon, let's hold it at the Grill. Pleaseee?"

Elena sighs and gives in. "Fine. Only because I know you won't give up until I say yes."

"Tonight at six! Be there," Caroline squeals before grabbing Bonnie's arm and dragging her towards the door. Bonnie gives Elena a quick wave before she's ushered out. Elena smiles to herself, finally remembering what home feels like.

—

When Elena arrived at the Grill, she immediately wished she hadn't. She hoped that the party would be kept to a minimum, but knowing Caroline, there was no such thing.

"Elena!" Caroline shrieks and comes over to her. "You're on time!"

"Of course I am," Elena smiles. "Why are there so many people here tonight?"

"Don't underestimate yourself, 'Lena. You were always a pretty popular person in this town."

"Oh? I didn't realize," Elena admits. Her smile returns when Stefan comes over to join them and swings an arm over Caroline's shoulder.

"Hey, 'Lena. Glad you could make it to your own party," Stefan teases.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool," Elena nods. "A little crowded for my taste, but whatever."

"Well, have fun. We'll be by the drinks," Stefan winks before leading himself and Caroline away.

Elena sighs and looks around. She chuckles when she sees Alaric sitting at the bar and goes to join him.

"Ric, hi," she greets with a grin.

"Elena, hey!" Alaric pulls her in for a hug. "You look good, considering everything you just went through."

"What can I say? Keeping all of the bad emotions hidden really makes a difference."

Alaric begins to give a disapproving look, but Elena shoots him a silencing glance back. "No comment, alright? Let's just enjoy the evening." She turns towards the bartender. "Tequila, please."

"So, Elena, how was medical school? Did you get your degree?"

"Yup. I can officially start my internship at the hospital, but that won't be for another couple months, at least."

"How come?"

"I just need some time. I know I say that about everything, but the hospital is where bad memories surface for me. I need to face my feelings before stepping back into medicine, and I can't do that until I'm ready to confront the bad ones."

"That's completely understandable. How did you get through these tough times in New York?"

"I had help. My parents stayed with me for some time. I had a psychiatrist who got me through my issues, as well as Liam, who was practically my safety net. I don't have a safety net here, so I can't spill my deep, dark thoughts. Not yet, at least."

"Got it," Alaric raises his glass while Elena grabs hers and they clink. After downing her drink, Elena starts to giddily smile until she sees someone enter.

As he approaches her, Elena quickly turns to Alaric, letting her hair block the view she had of him. Sadly, just because she couldn't see him didn't mean he couldn't see her.

"Elena," Damon greets shortly.

Elena tucks her hair back behind her ear before putting on a fake smile. "Damon...hi," Elena says as she turns her back towards him and orders another tequila. She eyes Alaric who just stood up and abruptly walked away from the bar.

"Care if I join you?" Damon sits in the empty seat next to Elena.

"I'm sure my opinion isn't going to deter you from sitting there. Not a fan of rhetorical questions, by the way," Elena mutters before sipping her drink.

"My bad," Damon orders himself a drink. "So, Elena, how's life going for you?"

"Same old, same old. It's not like I wasn't in a catatonic state for three weeks or anything," Elena finishes her glass and slams it on the bar. "Thanks for that, by the way."

Something that looks like guilt flickers in Damon's eyes, but it's gone before Elena had the chance to overthink it.

"It wasn't my fault that you were an emotional mess that day," Damon retorts coldly.

"Of course not. But if you felt even the slightest twinge it guilt, you would've visited me at the hospital, correct?"

"Well, I didn't because you're not my problem," Damon replies before swallowing his drink whole.

"Stubborn as ever, but still a horrible liar," Elena mutters before rolling her eyes.

"I don't point out all of your flaws, Gilbert," Damon tells her.

Elena's about to retort but her phone begins vibrating in her pocket. She takes it out and sees that it's Liam. Smiling, Elena answers the phone, "Liam, hey. You're actually calling me first, huh?" She happily ignores the change in Damon's demeanor and spins away from him.

"Hah, yeah, I thought we could do with some change around here. I heard what happened. Are you okay?"

"Okay is such a vague term," Elena says softly. "I don't know if I'll ever be completely okay. All I know is that the bad emotions are going bye-bye for a while. It's too much to deal with at once."

"Just don't keep it bottled up for too long. You've got to face your feelings at some point, Elena," Liam advises. "Promise me that you'll talk to someone about them."

"I will," Elena promises.

"Hey, sorry to cut this short, but I gotta go. Talk to you soon?"

"Talk to you soon," Elena confirms.

"Alright. Bye, Elena. Love you," Liam sings before hanging up. Elena also hangs up and spins around on the bar stool. She can see Damon's angry glare directed at the glass in his hand.

"What did that glass ever do to you?"

Shaking his head, Damon puts the glass down with an empty look in his eyes. He turns to face her, eyebrows furrowed. "So...this Liam guy, huh…?"

Elena mentally facepalms herself for being so stupid. She should've taken the phone call outside. "Katherine still, huh?" Elena replies in an even tone.

"I'm not drunk enough for this conversation," Damon mutters to himself.

Elena scoffs and gives Damon a pointed look, "Then you shouldn't have brought it up."

Damon opens his mouth to say something but decides against it. Instead, he asks, "Why are you back in town, after all these years?"

"New York was never permanent," Elena says quietly. "And I came back for my parents' funeral."

"Your parents died?" The utter shock on Damon's face would've been hilarious if Elena wasn't feeling so somber.

"You didn't know? Heh, it's been the talk of the town. It was, uh, it was the day when I ran into you and ended up collapsing," Elena informs him.

"Oh my god...I'm such a dick," Damon murmurs, not meeting Elena's gaze.

"Yeah, well, like you said, it wasn't your fault. I was and will always be an emotional mess. I'm permanently damaged goods," Elena admits while ordering two shots for them.

"Ditto," Damon replies. They both pick up their glasses and clink. "To being the most unstable people in Mystic Falls."

"Cheers," Elena says as they both take their shots.

"You weren't...you're not going to try to kill yourself or anything, right?"

Elena's eyes widen slightly at the amount of concern radiating off of Damon. She manages a small smile and shakes her head. "Like I told everyone, that was a momentary lapse of judgement. I'd never take my own life." Elena notices relief flood through Damon's eyes as much as he tries to hide it. "So, what have you been up to these past years?"

"I've been around," he casually states, running his hand through his hair. "You?"

"That sounds ominous coming from you. The same goes for me, though, so I guess I can't say anything. My life got screwed up in New York, even more so than here."

"I guess that's what happens when life gives you lemons," Damon says, matter-of-factly.

Elena nods her head slowly, but stops when she realizes that Damon and her were managing to have a civil conversation after all these years. She narrows her eyes, remembering what Caroline and Bonnie had mentioned to her earlier. "You don't seem as bad as everyone's telling me," Elena states outright. She figured there was no point beating around the bush.

"People's opinions don't matter to me, but I'm sure that whatever they're saying is true."

"Then why are you being decent with me right now? Look, I know that you're not the same person you were seven years ago. I'm not either. We both took a turn for the worse, whether we want to admit it or not. But why are you trying to confirm everyone's lowest expectations of you?" Elena knew that she didn't want to talk about anything serious tonight, but here she was, asking Damon why he acted this way.

"I'm not confirming anything, Elena. I know what they all think of me now, and they couldn't be more right. I'm not the same Damon you knew. I don't even remember what he was like anymore. People change, and there's nothing anyone can do about it."

"Believe whatever you want to believe, Damon, but we both know that's not true. It's getting late, I should leave if I want to make it home before it's too dark to see." Elena moves to stand up.

"It won't be dark for another thirty minutes. It'll take half that for you to get home."

"I walked here, and I don't really feel like taking any chances."

"You walked?"

"Didn't feel like driving," Elena mumbles. "See you around." She can see the gears turning in his mind and before she knows it, he's standing next to her.

"I'll walk you home, and no, I don't feel like arguing about this," Damon says while ushering Elena towards the door.

"Case in point. You're not what everyone makes of you. I appreciate the gesture all the same."

"You have no idea what I'm really like, Elena," Damon replies softly.

"But I remember who you were, and I know that he's still inside of you." At that note, they walk to Elena's house in a comfortable silence. After bidding farewell, Elena finally realized how much of her heart was actually missing.


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Waking up in her own bed never felt so good. Elena relished being back in her own room after so much time away. It was exactly the same as she had left it, full of memories from when her life was so much easier. She would give anything just to feel carefree again. Now she just felt burdened and troubled all of the time, even when her darkest emotions were kept deep beneath the surface.

Living with her aunt and brother wasn't so bad. Jenna always was up in time to make them breakfast, which was evenly devoured between the two siblings. Even with no parents, the role of the guardian seemed to be fulfilled. And of course, Meeko was around, making Elena's days brighter to a fault. She knew that Jeremy wouldn't be staying in the house much longer, as he was getting married to Bonnie in May, and they'd be moving in together.

Even though everything seemed to be getting back to normal, Elena knew that it would be far from that. She could sense people walking on eggshells around her, afraid that she could snap any moment. It was a dangerous game she was playing with her feelings, and she was well aware. The thing was, the only person who Elena had shared everything with, practically her entire mental state, was in another city, so far away. Phone calls were received, but this wasn't something Elena could talk about over the phone. She wanted and needed to confess everything face-to-face.

Elena cleared her mind from her endlessly churning thoughts and quickly got ready. Today was the Mystic Falls Historical Society Volunteer Day. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed these town events until this one had occurred. Elena half hoped that Bonnie and Caroline would pretend that nothing had changed, that they were all the same people, but she knew that wouldn't be the case. She was too broken to pretend anything, but it'd be a nice thought.

Elena shuffles down the stairs and sees that Jenna and Jeremy are already sitting at the table. After giving a soft smile and wave, Elena goes to pop a piece of toast into the toaster.

"So, are you going to participate in Volunteer Day, Elena?" Jenna offers Elena a glass of orange juice, which she happily accepts.

"You know me, always ready to get my hands dirty," Elena smiles genuinely. "It really sucked how there weren't any small events in New York like this."

"What time did you leave the party yesterday?" Jeremy questions after shoving a forkful of eggs into his mouth.

"Ah, Jeremy, you know how disgusting it is when you talk with your mouth full?" Elena scolds, but her voice is edged with her typical teasing tone.

"Well, you do it all of the time, 'Lena. I thought it didn't faze you," Jeremy remarks with a smirk.

"Yeah, but it's only disgusting when you do it," Elena sings and steals a piece of bacon from his plate. Jeremy swats at her hand, but two pieces have already been confiscated.

"Get your own bacon," Jeremy complains.

"Why would I do that when yours is right here?" Elena's about to take a sip of her orange juice but nearly spills it when the toast pops out.

"Karma by toaster," Jeremy chuckles.

Jenna grins at the two siblings playful banter, silently wishing that her own sister was alive. In all honesty, she wished that she had both of her sisters with her, but that wasn't the case in the cold, hard world that they lived in. Jenna's brooding was interrupted by the sheer sound of her cell phone ringing.

"That's yours, Jenna," Elena exclaims before taking a huge bite from her toast.

"I got it," Jenna jumps over the back of the couch and lands neatly on the cushions. She eventually finds her phone under the cushion she was sitting on and answers. "Hello?"

Elena and Jeremy stare wide-eyed at Jenna, amazed at her efforts to answer her phone. Although pretending to be engrossed in a conversation about gas prices, they were really eavesdropping. The siblings exchange meaningful looks when they realize that Jenna was on the phone with Alaric.

"Okay, yeah, I'll meet you there," Jenna says with a smile. "Of course. Bye now, Ric," she finishes before hanging up the phone. When she turns around, Jenna sees the smiles that are way too big plastered on Elena and Jeremy's faces.

"Aww, Jenna, do you have a crush on Ric?" Elena giggles and raises an eyebrow at her. "Wait, wait...you do realize that Ric is your dead sister's ex-husband…?"

Jeremy's eyes widen and Jenna's mouth falls open. "Oh my god, no…"

"You had another sister?" Jeremy looks as confused as ever, looking from Elena to Jeremy.

"Yeah, but she _died_ ," Elena says, putting an emphasis on died. He nods his head in understanding. "Look, Jenna, just because Alaric was Isobel's husband doesn't mean that you can't be with him. As sad as it is, Isobel is dead, and he's moving on. If you guys like each other, go for it."

Jenna ponders for a moment and then nods. "Thank you, Elena. You know, you give some pretty damn good advice."

Suddenly, Jeremy begins singing "Jenna and Ric sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g, first comes love, then comes marriage-" Elena slaps her hand over Jeremy's mouth, which only manages to muffle the singing.

"I apologize on behalf of my brother's incessant behavior. Trust me, he's the most annoying in the morning," Elena informs Jenna, who's still an unnatural shade of dark red.

"No, it's fine. I'm used to this kind of stuff," Jenna laughs. "I had two other siblings."

"Ohh, the burden of siblings," Elena nods in agreement.

"More like the burden of sisters," Jeremy says once he manages to pry Elena's hand off of his mouth. "So, what did Ric ask, hmm? Did he maybe want to see you later tonight?" Jeremy wiggles his eyebrows in a suggestive way.

"Oh, no! God, no," Jenna stammers, the blush returning with full force. "I'm just going to meet with him at the park for Volunteer Day."

"Yeah, Jer," Elena admonishes lightly. "Jenna's teacher crush is none of our concern anyways." The only response Elena receives is Jeremy's saliva getting wiped in her ear.

"Oh my god! Jeremy Gilbert, how dare you stick your disgusting, saliva-covered finger in my ear!" Jeremy quickly rushes from the kitchen and up the stairs with Elena hot on his trail. Jenna smiles to herself, seeing that two full-grown adults could still act like little children.

—

Elena, Jeremy, and Jenna all arrive at the park, ready to start their volunteer work. After they disperse, Elena makes her way over to Caroline and Bonnie who eagerly wait for her.

"Elena, you're here!" Caroline practically squeals in her ear as she tackles Elena in a hug. "It's just like old times! The three amigos, together again to help better the town park."

"Bonnie, get in on this delightful hug," Elena says as she reaches for Bonnie's arm and pulls her into the embrace.

"You...guys...are squishing me," Bonnie breathes out.

"Sorry," Elena pulls back and grins sheepishly. "God, when was the last time Mystic Falls had a Volunteer Day?"

"It's been a while. Too long, honestly, because this park sure looks rundown," Caroline comments, looking around.

"I'll say," Elena adds. She creases her forehead and glances between Bonnie and Caroline, who look oddly distracted. "What?"

Bonnie and Caroline give each other knowing looks before faking smiles for Elena. "It's nothing," Caroline chirps. "Mrs. Lockwood was just about to give her speech, so…"

Elena skeptically raises her eyebrow but shrugs with indifference. They all turn towards Carol and listen.

"This is all part of the Historical Society, continuing efforts to give back to the community. Thanks to the generous donation from the Fell family, we are now standing on the sight of our newest public park. Thank you to everyone who showed up today to lend a helping hand," Carol announces before stepping away.

"How inspirational," Elena deadpans before she picks up a paintbrush and begins stroking the veranda with white paint. Caroline and Bonnie join her and they all efficiently get the job done.

Elena dusts her hands off once she sets the brush down and looks at Caroline. "Where's your husband?"

"Um, he's around here somewhere, I think," Caroline states while looking around the park.

"Where's my brother?" Elena suddenly inquires, copying Caroline's movement.

"He's over there with Jenna and Ric doing trash duty," Bonnie observes. She offers him a small wave and gets a wink in return.

"Ugh, don't let Jeremy's charm fool you. He stuck his saliva-covered finger in my ear this morning," Elena informs Bonnie who looks equally disgusted.

"Nasty indeed," Bonnie agrees with a grin.

"You guys don't see Stefan around here, do you?" Caroline continues to look around for him with the help of Elena and Bonnie.

"Caroline, remember, we saw…" Bonnie trails off, looking apprehensive of finishing her thought.

"What, Bonnie? Did you see him somewhere?"

Bonnie swallows as she looks from Caroline to Elena, who are both wearing confused expressions.

"Remember, he was walking with, uh, with Damon," Bonnie quickly finishes, quickly closing her eyes and waits for Caroline's outburst.

"What?! I didn't see that! Bonnie Bennett, why didn't you tell me? I mean, we did see Damon here, but I never saw him with Stefan."

"Damon's here?" Elena softly inquiries.

"Umm, yeah, unfortunately. We didn't tell you because we honestly had no idea what your deal was with him," Caroline hastily explains. "Now, Bon, where did you see them walk off to?"

"Why do you guys sound so nervous?" Elena's gaze switches between her two best friends.

"Because it's Damon! Ugh, I don't want to even think about what could be happening. We need to find them quickly. Bonnie, where were they headed?"

"Into the woods," Bonnie tells her and the two of them tread in that direction with Elena trailing close behind.

"I think you two are overreacting a little, don't you think? Stefan's his brother. No matter how bad Damon's gotten, he'd never hurt his only remaining family," Elena tries reasoning with them but they both shake their heads.

"You don't understand, Elena. It's not the same Damon you used to know," Bonnie quietly informs her before taking off after Caroline again.

Elena runs her hands through her hair in frustration and follows them once more. Her eyes widen and she speeds up when a shot is heard ringing through the trees. When Elena catches up with Caroline and Bonnie, she slowly takes in the scene unfolding in front of her.

Damon's leaning against a tree with one hand clutching his stomach while Stefan points a gun loaded with wooden bullets at his heart. Elena gapes at Damon who's vamped out but too weak to move. Caroline and Bonnie look just as stunned, not moving a muscle.

"Stefan, what are you doing…?" Elena cautiously approaches Stefan with her hands up. "Put the gun down…"

"I can't, Elena. I'm doing what should've been done the second Damon died all those years ago. He should've stayed dead."

"He's your brother," Elena attempts to reason with him. "Your only family member left…"

"He's not my brother. This is just an empty shell of who he used to be. There's nothing left. Nothing," Stefan grinds out, cocking the gun. Damon's eyes flare but he doesn't make an attempt to get up.

"Look, yes, he's damaged, but he's not gone. If you do this Stefan, it will kill you inside. Please don't do this," Elena pleads.

"Luring me out in the woods to kill me, that's malicious on a whole new level, _brother_ ," Damon spits out, casting a menacing glare at him.

"I'm not stooping any lower than you ever did, bro," Stefan replies coldly.

"If not for him, then for me. I can't lose any more people in my life. You know how well I take emotional grief, Stefan. Just please, no matter how you feel about him, he will be gone forever if you do this. I don't know if I'd be able to handle that," Elena shakily admits. "If you care about me, you won't do this."

Stefan turns his head, locking eyes with Elena and notices her desperate expression. He sighs and turns back to Damon, taking his gun and shooting him in the leg. "Congrats, Damon, you get to see another day. I'm only sparing you because of Elena. I won't hesitate a second time," Stefan grumbles before stalking away. Bonnie and Caroline stare at Elena, clearly stunned, before following him.

Elena approaches Damon and kneels next to him, running her hands on his bloody shirt. She narrows her eyes at him before hesitatingly lifting it up.

"Why," Damon coughs and groans in pain, "Why did you do that?"

"Believe it or not, Damon, I actually do care if you live or die. I never expected Stefan would do this," Elena murmurs while digging for the bullet in Damon's stomach.

"Yeah, well, Stef's fickle like that," Damon mutters, not taking his eyes off of Elena.

"Maybe you should stop antagonizing him," Elena advises as she pulls the wooden bullet out.

"You're telling that to the wrong person," Damon replies, squeezing his eyes shut as Elena pulls out the bullet in his leg.

"Well, maybe you both need to hear it," Elena says sternly as she attempts to wipe the blood from her hands onto the grass.

"Maybe," Damon repeats quietly. "Thank you, Elena. Seriously. I'd be dead if you didn't say anything."

"You mean more to me than you think," Elena whispers, more to herself, but Damon hears it and weakly smiles. "I saved your life," Elena suddenly grins.

"That you did," Damon chuckles softly.

"And don't you forget it," Elena sings before standing up. Damon rises next to her, still looking a little weary. "Um, so, you're going to need some rest," Elena states. "And a change of clothes."

"I'm not so sure I'd be welcome back at the boarding house. They've grown to hate me."

"You just need to stop living up to their worst expectations," Elena reminds him. She inwardly cringes at the next thing that's going to come out of her mouth, unsure if it'll be a mistake. "Listen, I, uh, still have, er, some of your clothes in one of my drawers. You're...welcome to stay at my place until you get that target off your back."

"You still have my clothes?"

Elena narrows her eyes. "That's what you got out of my generous offer to stay with me?"

"Sorry. I'm pretty sure your brother has a vendetta against me as well. Practically everyone in this town does."

"Well, you could always stay with Katherine," Elena mutters under her breath.

"I haven't been with Katherine for months. We were never together either."

"But Caroline and Bonnie…"

"They hate me. I never was in a relationship with Katherine."

Elena inadvertently breathes out a sigh of relief. Her eyes flicker up to Damon's, "So you just used her for sex?"

"No strings, no feelings," Damon confirms.

"I guess it's only fair for me to tell you that I'm not dating Liam," Elena confesses.

"You're not?" Damon's eyes widen slightly from surprise.

"We had a relationship, but I wasn't as invested as him. He always helped me through my issues, and we ended things on a good note."

"He said that he loved you," Damon says matter-of-factly.

"And I never said it back after all those years."

They both stare at each other, both gazes seemingly penetrating their souls. Elena suddenly snaps out of it and blushes at the ground. "Look, we both have a lot of dark stuff in our past that we're not ready to share yet. A lot of things happened between us before I left, things we need to talk about. But I'm willing to put forth the effort to have a friendship," Elena swallows, "at least for the time being."

Damon automatically nods his head, "Fine by me. I just...after everything that happened, I need to apologize for being such a dick to you these past years. And weeks. I'm sorry."

"I know. I forgive you for that, and everything else will come with time. So…" Elena holds her hand out, "Friends?"

Damon grips Elena's hand gently and shakes it, "Friends," he agrees. They make their way out of the woods, each not willing to pull their hand away from the other's.


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

"Okay, let's just make something clear before we go in," Elena states, standing in front of the door to her house. "If you hurt Jenna or Jeremy in any way, I will kick your ass right back onto the street. Understand?"

Damon nods and flashes a small smile. "I won't hurt them."

"And if you happen to hurt one hair on Meeko's head, I will stake you in your sleep. Got it?"

"Who's Meeko?"

"Our dog…? Our super adorable, fluffy, ear-scratching enthusiast?"

"I never knew you got a dog," Damon says with his eyebrows slightly raised.

"Oh. Well, now you do. If you hurt him, I will castrate you."

"Got it," Damon agrees, "Your dog is the most important thing in the world."

"True," Elena mumbles. She turns around and swings the door open. After entering the house, she looks around and sees that it's empty. "So Jeremy and Jenna are still out."

Damon's still standing by the threshold with an annoyed expression. "I can't get in."

Elena's forehead creases in confusion and then realization hits her. "My parents owned the house before and they invited you in. Now they're gone and the house belongs to Jeremy and I. You have to be re-invited in."

"Right," was all Damon said before giving Elena a pointed look. She rolls her eyes in return and gestures for him to enter. He steps across the doorway and into the house.

"You desperately need a shower, and I'll get you some clothes. Do not drag blood in the house," Elena warns before heading upstairs. Damon follows and leans on the doorframe of Elena's bedroom while she grabs his clothes.

"Your room's still the same, other than all of the downward facing pictures of us," Damon points out with a hint of sadness lacing his tone.

"Yeah…" Elena says quietly. She turns to her dresser and places one frame upright, the one with Damon kissing her cheek. She softly smiles at it before turning around. "Maybe I'll fix all of the pictures in my room eventually. Here are your clothes." She hands him the sweatpants and t-shirt before gently shoving him into the bathroom. "In you go."

Elena lays back on her bed and listens to the sounds of water. After a while, she stands up again and grabs her phone. Elena dials Caroline's number and waits.

"Elena?" Caroline answers after three rings.

"Hey…" was the only thing she said in response.

"Look, I'm just going to be blunt here and say that you were out of your mind today. Defending Damon? Why did you do that?"

"Okay, listen, Stefan was about to kill his brother, and I couldn't let that happen. I know it may come as a shock to you, but I don't want Damon to die. I also didn't want Stefan to carry around the burden that he killed his own brother. I don't know what he did in these past years, but I'm not sorry that he's alive."

Elena hears Caroline sigh on the other end. "I think I know what this is, which proves what I said the other day. You still love him."

"This topic isn't up for discussion, Care. Hey, I'll call you later, okay?"

"Wait, where is he, because I'm here with Stefan at the boarding house and he's being a paranoid freak right now."

"Don't worry, I took care of it. Talk to you soon," Elena says before hanging up the phone. She tosses it onto her bed and runs her hands through her hair haphazardly.

Damon emerges from the bathroom and is running a towel through his damp hair. "Everything alright?"

"Just dandy," Elena tightly smiles before sitting on her bed and allows the smile to fall from her face.

Damon shrugs with indifference. "Whatever you say. Sounds like Jenna and Jeremy are home now," he points out after hearing the sound of the door open and close. "Alaric's with them."

"Oh my god, Jenna brought Ric! This teacher crush could actually go somewhere," Elena muses excitedly. "I'll be right back."

Elena rushes out of her room and down the stairs, almost knocking into Jeremy's back. She composes herself while letting out a little laugh. "Hey, Ric."

"Elena, how's it going? Jenna invited me over," Alaric grins and sends her a wink, causing Jenna to blush uncontrollably.

"Well, Jeremy and I will leave you to your...activities," Elena tells them and pulls Jeremy's arm up the stairs. When they reach the top, Jeremy swats Elena's hand.

"I wanted to watch Jenna flirt," Jeremy complains.

"I guess it's your loss then, huh?" Elena pushes Jeremy in the direction of his room. "Go busy yourself and no eavesdropping," she yells after him. Elena makes her way back into her room and closes the door behind her. Damon's sitting on the edge of Elena's bed with his elbows resting on his knees. He looks up and smirks at Elena.

"So, Jenna and Alaric? I'm sure you can add them to your list of ships," Damon teases.

"My ever-growing list? Yup, and most of my ships have sailed," Elena smiles. She pads over to the bed and faceplants on top of it, groaning into the comforter. "I'm so tired."

"It is getting late," Damon remarks, staring out the window. He stands up and looks at Elena. "You should get some rest."

Elena wholeheartedly agrees and scoots herself under the blankets. "When was the last time you had a good night's sleep, Damon?"

"A while," he admits. "I don't think sleeping on the floor would help contribute to it though."

"I never said you had to sleep on the floor," Elena says into her pillow. "I don't take up that much room on the bed."

Damon raises his eyebrows and smirks at Elena. "Friends don't sleep together, Elena."

"No shit," Elena mumbles. "But I beg to differ that friends can sleep in the same bed." Elena chuckles inwardly when she feels the bed dip next to her.

"Goodnight, Elena," Damon whispers.

"Night, Damon," Elena replies before dozing off with a small smile playing on her lips.

—

The scent of cinnamon and mahogany drifts through Elena's mind as she attempts to roll on her back. Elena's eyes pop open when she realizes Damon's arms are encircled around her waist tightly and that she's pulled against his chest. Damon's legs were tangled with hers, but the only skin on skin contact was with their feet. Even in the big bed that Elena had, they still managed to end up on the same side. She scrunches her nose in delight, because after all these years, Damon still smelled the same. Granted, so did Elena, considering she always used the same green apple and honey soap.

Elena twists her head around to get a better look at Damon's face while trying not to wake him. She admires the look of innocence he wore while asleep, not plagued by the cruelty of the world.

"Are you watching me sleep?" Damon mumbles, shifting slightly on the bed.

"More like gazing," Elena replies softly. She laughs when Damon lets out a snort and they both sit up on the bed. "Sleep well?"

"Much better than I have in years," Damon muses.

"You haven't slept good for that long?" Elena inquiries with a frown.

He shrugs in response and then points towards the door. "Might wanna open that before Jeremy barges in himself."

Elena hurriedly rushes towards the door, almost tripping over her own feet. She mentally curses her clumsiness before opening the door and peeks out. Elena's greeted with Jeremy and the mischievous grin stuck on his face. "Well, good morning to you, Jer," Elena greets, slightly suspicious.

"Were you talking to someone?"

"Were you sitting outside my door, eavesdropping?" Elena cocks her head with a smirk on her face.

"No," Jeremy denies. "Not this morning at least." Elena's eyes widen which causes him to snicker. "I actually wanted to show you something."

"Oh. What is it?"

Jeremy grabs Elena's arm, pulls her out of the room, and drags her down the stairs. He puts a finger to his mouth and motions her into the living room where Alaric and Jenna were sprawled out together.

"Jeremy, were you spying on them?!" Elena harshly whispers but can't help the smile easing its way on her face.

"No! I just came down to have breakfast and here they were, sleeping together," Jeremy replies with a sly grin.

"At least their clothes are still on," Elena offhandedly remarks. "This was, what, the first date? It would be weird if they just had sex in our living room. Out in the open, no less," she rambles.

"Morning, guys," Alaric says, causing both Elena and Jeremy to jump. They exchange sheepish glances before looking at Alaric.

"Hey, Ric...it looks like you guys had a nice sleepover," Elena awkwardly states. "I'm gonna go back upstairs now." She shoots him one more grin before backing towards the steps and running up them.

When she makes it back into her bedroom, she bursts out laughing. Damon approaches her with an eyebrow raised and an apprehensive look on his face.

"I take it you think that Alaric's affair with your aunt is funny?"

"The fact that I saw them in that position on the couch is what's so funny. Anyways, I'm gonna shower," Elena sings before jumping into the bathroom.

—

When Elena comes out of the bathroom with her hair in a towel, she sees Damon lounging on her bed.

"So, I'm going to go over to the boarding house. I need to talk to Caroline about some things," Elena explains.

"Give Blondie and Stefan my regards," Damon replies with a little snark.

"Damooon," Elena whines, tilting her head. "Being estranged with everyone isn't going to help your cause."

"Maybe not, but my brother just tried to kill me. I'm allowed to be pissed at him."

"Fine." Elena removes the towel from her hair and squeezes it.

"Actually, if you don't mind, I'm gonna head out for a bit," Damon says, standing up.

"Go for it. But nothing illegal, young man," Elena warns.

"I make no promises. And I'm older than you," Damon rolls his eyes.

"Technically, yes, but in my eyes, you're only twenty-two, and I'm twenty-five. So there," Elena sticks her tongue out at him, causing Damon to chuckle.

"You may be twenty-five, but you act like a six-year-old."

Elena throws the towel at him. "My six-year-old self was very mature in case you've forgotten."

"Ooh, super," Damon waves his hands dramatically. "Especially when it came to architecture."

"Sandcastles are for all ages, and you said it yourself that my sandcastle was really good." Damon responds with a shrug and Elena smiles victoriously. "Case in point. See you later, Damon," Elena laughs and exits the room.

—

Elena waited patiently at the door of the boarding house. She tapped on her leg with rhythm as she stared at the wood. The door finally swung open and there was Stefan, looking extremely weary and worn down.

"Elena, hi," Stefan greets with a slight nod. "Did you come to see Caroline?"

"More or less," Elena replies. "Can I come in?" Stefan allows Elena to enter the house and she walks into the living room. "Where is she?"

"I'll go get her." Stefan heads up the stairs while Elena sits down on the couch and looks around. The boarding house still looked the same, though not as trashed as she had seen it last. The fireplace always seemed to be blazing, something she noticed since the first couple times she'd been here.

Caroline and Stefan descend the steps and come over to Elena.

"Hey, 'Lena. You wanted to talk?"

"Yeah. Starting off, why did you tell me that Damon was together with Katherine?" Elena questions bluntly. She watches as Caroline's eyes widen and she crosses her arms.

"Because it's true," Caroline says like it's obvious.

"According to him, it's not," Elena tells her evenly.

"You're going to believe him over me?"

"I'm not believing anyone over anyone. Even if he was with Katherine, why did you tell me?"

"Shouldn't you be interrogating Bonnie, too? She was the one who brought it up," Caroline remarks defensively.

"You were the one complaining about them having sex in the bedroom adjacent to yours and how it was so annoying," Elena points out.

"Fine, I told you because I was hoping that would make you deter from him. Clearly, it didn't work," she grumbles.

"What is so bad that you guys won't tell me?"

"He kills people, Elena. Isn't that enough? Weren't you the one who ran away when Damon showed his true self?"

Elena's eyes flare and she stretches her lips into a thin line. "I didn't run away because of him. I had college."

"Just be honest with yourself, Elena! You left this town twice because of him! And I don't blame you. College was just a convenient excuse. Medical degree and all. Speaking of, shouldn't you be working on your internship?"

"No, Meredith said that I can take as long as I need to _heal_ before I start. I'm not rushing to go back into a hospital."

"Right," Caroline just nods. She sniffs, "I'm sorry for telling you that Katherine and Damon were together, but I'm not sorry about how much I hate him." She tucks herself into Stefan's arms as tears begin to fall down her cheeks.

Elena stands up and approaches Caroline, gently squeezing her shoulder. "Hey, whatever it is, you can tell me."

"I…" Caroline openly sobs into Stefan's shoulder. "He's a monster, Elena. He is so messed up."

"I'm a little messed up too, Care."

"Well, you never killed my dad, Elena!" Caroline bursts out.

Elena's eyes widen and she staggers backwards a little. "H-he what? Why would he do that? When did this happen?" She chokes out.

"I have no clue why he did it. It happened around a year ago when my dad came down to visit my mom and I. We were having a family picnic kind of thing, and my dad went to pick some peaches from a tree. He was taking a long time, so I went to look for him, and I saw _Damon_ ripping his throat out! He disappeared but it was too late. My dad was dead," Caroline whimpers.

"Oh my god...I had no idea. Why didn't you tell me?" Elena pulls Caroline into an embrace.

"You were already under so much stress with the car crash and the PTSD that I didn't want to burden you," Caroline sniffles. "Plus, I didn't know how you felt about Damon."

"Your problems are never a burden, Care. Even if I'm mentally unstable, I will still be there for you. We're best friends," Elena assures her.

"We hadn't seen Damon for a while after that," Stefan explains. "His bed was always slept in, but we haven't talked. He started coming around more when you came back. We thought that you'd be able to help him, but he's too far gone. That's why I almost killed him yesterday."

"Oh, dear god. That's why everyone's avoiding him like the plague. What am I supposed to do now?" Elena looks between Stefan and Caroline with a desperate look etched on her face.

"We can't control how you feel about him, Elena. Whatever your relationship with him, it is completely your choice," Stefan advises, though his tone tells a different story.

"Okay...I don't know what to say or do. I can't stress myself over something else," Elena murmurs. "Damn me. I'm going to head home, guys."

"Will you let us know what your decision is when you make it?" Caroline gives her one more squeeze before letting go.

"Of course," Elena nods. "I'll see you." Elena stumbles over to the door, feeling a little lightheaded.

—

When Elena makes it home, Jenna and Jeremy are preparing dinner. She gives them a quick smile before heading to her room. Elena lets out a grateful sigh when she sees that Damon wasn't back yet. She wasn't ready to face him or what he did a year ago.

She ties her hair into a messy bun and goes back downstairs. Elena takes her seat at the table and folds her hands. "What are we eating?"

"Your favorite, eggplant parmesan," Jeremy grins. "Extra eggplant."

"I hope that you're doing most of the cooking, Jenna, 'cause Jeremy ain't that great," Elena teases.

"What? I don't suck that bad at cooking," Jeremy protests. "I can make mac and cheese, ramen, cereal…"

"Notice that everything you just listed comes in a box and takes hardly any effort. Face it, Jer, you can squish your nonexistent culinary dreams."

"Voilà," Jeremy brings Elena's dish over to her and lifts up the lid. "Prendre plaisir."

"Nice French, but you need to work on your presentation skills. What is this, a smiley face?" Elena scrunches up her nose at the poor attempt to construct a face with chicken parmesan.

"Like you could do better," Jeremy retorts.

"I could, but I'm too lazy to at the moment. You're happy face is just going to have to do."

Jenna and Jeremy sit down with their plates and begin eating. The three of them sit in a comfortable silence, content with their food. Elena switches her gaze from Jenna to Jeremy, mentally debating on whether she should bring this topic up.

After deciding against all reasonable logic, Elena cleared her throat and narrowed her eyes at Jeremy. She grabbed her paper napkin and started scribbling on it, much to the others' dismay. Elena crumples it into a ball and throws it at Jeremy's face. It read, 'Were you ever going to tell me that Damon killed Caroline's dad?'

His eyes widen when he reads the napkin and he motions that they shouldn't talk about that subject at the dinner table. Elena rolls her eyes but agrees nonetheless. They finish up their food and Elena grabs her dish, depositing it into the dishwasher. Elena grabs Jeremy's wrist as soon as he does the same and drags him into the living room.

Elena crosses her arms and lifts her brows. "So?"

"I didn't know how to tell you something like that, 'Lena."

"You couldn't have said, 'hey, Elena, your ex-boyfriend just killed your best friend's dad, how do you feel?'"

"You have no idea how hard these past years have been. With you and the car crash, and then the catatonia? It was so much to deal with added on to our parents' deaths. Yes, Damon is a crazy homicidal freak who killed Bill Forbes. And yes, I didn't give you the news because I didn't know how you'd take it. We've all lost so much in such little time, Elena."

"I'm sorry, Jer. It's been extremely hard on all of us with these cruel past years. I understand why everyone didn't tell me. At the time, I probably would've had another breakdown or something."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I have no idea. Damon...Damon keeps getting under my skin, and no matter what I do, I just can't shake him…" Elena admits.

"You still love him, 'Lena. When you love someone, I don't know if you could ever shake them."

"This is getting a little weird for my taste, talking about my love life with you," Elena laughs lightly.

"Consider it payback for all of those times you made me talk about Bonnie with you," Jeremy smiles.

"Aw, such a good brother," Elena squeaks before tugging Jeremy into a hug. "Even if your food is the last thing I'd eat in hell."

"Unkind," Jeremy chortles. "Take it back."

"Nah." Elena gleefully ruffles his hair before dashing up the stairs. Her face contorts into a frown when she notices her bedroom's still empty. Her mind was wandering into dangerous places, thinking of the things Damon could be doing in the dark. She shakes her head, letting the thoughts fall from her brain.

Elena lays back on her bed and grabs her phone. She begins texting Bonnie about lighthearted things, like cheesy puns and wedding plans and cute animal pictures. Elena eventually drifts off to sleep, letting her phone fall into her lap. The last thing she remembers is someone tucking her in and their cool fingers on her cheek.


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Elena wakes with a start, her breathing heavy and palms sweaty. She roughly runs her hands through her hair and shakily draws a breath. It wasn't a bad nightmare, not nearly as vivid, but it was still there and it still had her shaken up. The stress was really taking a toll on her, not to mention her bottled up emotions. She squeezes her eyes shut, not noticing the hand on her arm.

"Elena. Hey, are you okay?"

Elena turns her head to see Damon there with concern etched into his features. Embarrassingly enough, she forgot that he was there for a minute. "You want the truth or the lie that everyone says?"

His forehead creases and his eyebrows dip in confusion. "The truth."

"Then, no, I'm not okay," she whispers, letting her hair fall in front of her face.

"What is it?"

"I had a nightmare," Elena whimpers. "I haven't had one in so long…"

"Oh...what was it about?"

"I never told you this, and I'm not sure if you've heard about it from anyone else...but I was in a car crash. It happened in New York. My friend and I were driving to a party, she was speeding. A police car was following us, so she slammed the breaks. The police car never stopped. It hit us from the back and the car flipped multiple times over. My friend died, and I was sent to the hospital for multiple injuries. The worst was that I was diagnosed with PTSD. I couldn't ride in a car for months, had nightmares almost every night, and went to therapy a couple times a week."

"God, Elena…" Damon murmurs. He silently wraps his arm around Elena's shoulders and she leans into him.

"The nightmares were always on repeat, always a flashback of the accident. It was so hard. Liam was there for me, he helped me through it. I can't remember the last time I had one. Tonight's was different, though. I wasn't in the car with Megan...I was with my parents. Their car went over a bridge, and that's how they died. I was with them, and we were all drowning together. It was cathartic in a way, knowing I was with them in our last moments. And then I woke up." She's shaking now as tears make their way down her cheeks.

Damon pulls her closer and strokes her hair in a comforting way. "It'll get better, Elena. It might not seem so now, but it will."

"This was my mind's cruel way to show that I can't hide anymore. My emotions, everything that I've been feeling...I've tried keeping them down. I wanted to ignore them and hope that they'd somehow go away. But they won't and I'm not okay," Elena cries. "My brain hurts and my heart hurts…everything hurts, and it's hell."

"I know the feeling," Damon replies softly. "Hell has the tendency to follow all of the wrong people."

Elena stays in Damon's arms with her head tucked against his chest. Her cries quiet down as he continues to soothe and hold her. They sit in silence together, quietly appreciating the warmth and comfort of each other.

Eventually, Elena speaks up in a meek voice. "Don't pretend to be the bad guy, Damon."

"Who says I'm pretending…" Damon whispers in a strained voice. He meets Elena's gaze with solemn eyes and offers a weak smile.

"Hey, I know what happened with Caroline's dad...that can be saved for another time. But just know that the bad guy wouldn't be sitting here with me, talking about my nightmares. I'd be here, alone and crying, if you weren't with me, so I'd like to thank you for that."

"Why thank me when I've caused so much of your pain?" Damon questions disheartenedly.

"Maybe so, but you're still here, and you're still you. You're allowing yourself to be worthy of forgiveness. Listen, we can't change our past, sadly, but don't fall victim to what people think of you now. We all still love you, Damon. You just need to unbury the part of you that's lost. I need to do the same." Elena blinks and lets out a laugh. "Man, I've never felt so deep in my life."

"Pretty damn solid advice, Elena. When did you become so knowledgeable?"

"So I've been told. I've always been knowledgeable, Damon," Elena grins. "It just kind of came to the surface when life decided to skewer me."

"I am not letting you out of my life again," Damon murmurs, burying his face in Elena's hair.

"Heh, I wouldn't want to be the one that got away," Elena smiles and closes her eyes, allowing sleep to come again.

—

Elena opens her eyes when the bright sunlight hits her face. She blinks rapidly and lifts her head up, but ends up hitting it on Damon's chin.

"Geez, Elena," Damon groans as he rubs his chin. "You've got a real hard head."

"Oh my god," Elena squeaks. "Sorry! But really, it's not my fault that we fell asleep like this. And it's not my fault that someone, cough, forgot to shut the curtains, which led to me being blinded and lifting my head up."

"So you're saying that I really just injured myself," Damon states, raising his eyebrows.

"Duh," Elena smiles but kisses him on the chin anyways. Damon's eyes flare and a happy expression overtakes his features. He hugs her to him and they sit on the bed for a while. Elena realizes that she's seeing more and more of the Damon that he claimed was gone. She mentally high-fived herself for being so observant.

"So...considering you revealed a skeleton in the closet, I guess it's only fair that I do the same," Damon remarks, sitting up on the bed.

"You sure? Don't wanna pressure you or anything," Elena says.

"No, it's okay. So, I guess this goes way back to the week of Miss Mystic Falls...alright, you have to understand that I was so confused and messed up at that time. Yes, I was having weird meetings with Katherine, but not for the reason that you think. We weren't having some secret rendezvous, I promise. She found me one day and we started talking. I was intrigued because she looked like you, but honestly, she was the complete opposite. A cold-hearted bitch she would be if she actually had one."

Elena makes a face but nods for him to continue.

"She kept filling my head with these thoughts and feelings. I wasn't in a good place at the time, so yes, I believed her. Katherine taught me most of what I know now. The humanity switch, how to compel, how to enjoy the kill…"

Elena unintentionally shudders at this but Damon relaxes her by tracing circles onto her hand. His eyes bore into hers as he continues. "I wish I could blame her for ruining me, but I can't. I did that all on my own. I was with Katherine on the day of Miss Mystic Falls. When I realized what time it was, I tried to get there as fast as I could, but I was late. I saw you dancing with Matt and got upset. I know I had no right, so screw me because I was a dick. I went into the woods and got on a blood-high basically. You were right when you called me out on it. There were so many emotions flooding through me that night, but they all led to anger. Yeah, I lashed out at you and yelled a bunch of things I didn't mean. Heh, I even stooped as low as trying to compel you," Damon chuckles humorlessly with a pinch of self-loathing.

Elena winces as she remembers the events of that night. She begins to intertwine her fingers with Damon's as he continues.

"When the blood wore off, the reality of what just happened had crashed down and I was a mess. My biggest fear had finally come to pass, and I hated myself so much that I ran away. Worst thing I could've done, really. By the time I got back, I heard that you were leaving and I'm pretty sure that what was left of my heart just broke. It was all my fault but the damage was done. I know you had college, but I knew that I drove you away as well. I am so sorry, Elena. God, I wish I could just erase those days from existence. I promised you that I'd fight for you and that I wouldn't go down the road that I did. I broke your trust and heart at the same time. I am really, really sorry, I-" Damon breaks off as the tears begin to flood his eyes.

Elena saw the remorse, sadness, and self-loathing pile up in Damon's features. She wraps her arms around his neck and embraces his shaking frame. "Shh, I'm here. I will forgive you as long as you forgive yourself for what happened. You made a mistake, we all do it."

"I made so many more, Elena. After you left, I felt like I lost everything. There was just a black hole taking the place of my heart. I spiraled. Drinking, killing, you name it. I cut Stefan out because I knew he wouldn't be able to help me. There was nothing he could do. I tried to go as far as sex with the one person who looked like you, but I couldn't do it. Physically and mentally, I couldn't get myself to do anything with her. Not as long as my humanity was on, so I flipped my switch. And then it came and just kept coming. I got worse but didn't feel anything about it. And then you arrived back in town for Jeremy's graduation. Bonnie, Stefan, and Caroline were so desperate to get me help that they dragged you back into it."

"I was a more than a little pissed when I found out you flipped your switch," Elena murmurs.

"You were, but you didn't give up even when I kept spitting false insults at you. It shocked me to see your face, but it didn't do anything for my humanity. That is, until you started belittling and comparing yourself to Katherine. Everything that you were saying about how unimportant you were in our relationship hurt me. I broke and called you out on it."

"I said more than one lie that day. Deep down, I knew that our relationship wasn't based around Katherine but I was hurt and angry."

"I know. Did you mean it when you said I had lost you forever?" Damon questions quietly.

"I really didn't want to lose you, but at the time, I had no idea what was going through your head. I left because I didn't know what to do or say around you anymore."

"When I realized that I had let you go a second time, I did the only thing I knew how to anymore. I lashed out. I threw things and broke things. Stefan, Caroline, and Bonnie were all yelling at me, but I didn't listen to them. My sense of compassion and love and anything rational went out the window. I was only left with the bad stuff and that's how I was for the last five years. My humanity seemed to be on a bit of a dimmer switch. Just a few months ago, I gave up on Katherine. There was no point in whatever we were doing with each other, and I haven't seen her since."

"So, she skipped town then," Elena mutters. "You killed Caroline's dad…"

"I had no idea it was her dad at the time. He was just food when I needed it. I ended up ripping his throat out, but when I saw Caroline standing there with a devastated look on her face, I ran. It really seemed to be a pattern. I stayed cold and seemingly heartless because I knew that's how everyone saw me. There was no point in denying the truth. And then I ran into you again, and acted like a dick _again_. You looked destroyed right then and there, and I practically put the nail in the coffin. You talked about how you wished you were dead, Elena. There was no way I would've admitted it at the time, but that freaking scared me. All of a sudden, you collapsed and that did me in. When I found out that you were in a catatonic state, my heart was in my throat, and yes, I did visit you. Seems as though I wasn't stealthy enough. I figured that if I just pushed you away some more, you wouldn't be stuck with the person you hated most. But that didn't work out, because I ended up walking you home and then you saved my life."

"And now here we are, telling life stories. Let me just be clear about something. I don't hate you, Damon. I may have said so the night I stormed out, but as hard as I tried, I couldn't. Doesn't mean I don't hate the way you handled things," Elena trails off and gives him a pointed look.

Damon sighs and nods, "You and me both. I was a stupid, idiotic, borderline brain-dead moron. Probably still am."

"No argument there," Elena smiles and then sobers up. "All in all, I'm glad you told me how you felt through all of this. It was nice to hear your side of things…"

"I really am sorry for how I screwed everything up," Damon says as his remorse and sorrow shine through.

"And I forgive you. Just know that you're going to have to forgive yourself eventually. You can't keep this weight on your shoulders forever."

"Once I make amends, then I'll consider letting it be in the past," Damon assures her.

Elena ponders for a moment and then tilts her head. "Do you think things would be different if I hadn't left?"

"Maybe, but I have the feeling that we'd end up in the same place. I was so screwed up and would've ended up hurting you again."

"I guess we can't think about the 'what ifs'. I'd be wondering all my life. So, now that we got all of the dark, horror stories out of the way, we should really try to rebuild all of those bridges that you've burned."

"You'll help me?" Damon asks, his eyes lighting up with unrelenting hope.

"Of course I will." Elena smiles and fixes Damon's collar. "It'll take time and effort, but I believe that we can prove that you've changed. Alright?"

"Alright," Damon agrees with a grin. "Any chance we can leave this room sometime today? We've been talking for ages."

"Maybe you just like hearing your own voice," Elena teases before jumping off the bed and towards the door.

"Oh, no, we're not going through the front door," Damon says as his eyes reveal the flash of mischievousness. "You trust me?" Elena nods and Damon grabs her by the waist. "We're jumping out the window today."

Elena's eyes widen but before she can protest, Damon had already jumped. They gracefully land on the ground and Elena looks wonderstruck. "I'll never understand the logic of what just happened. So where are we going?"

"Fancy a drink?" Damon takes Elena's hand and they make their way down the sidewalk.

"We're going to the Grill? I'm not much of a day-drinker," Elena says matter-of-factly.

"Then we'll play darts," Damon replies with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Ugh, no! You know I suck at darts, Damon," Elena complains, swatting at his arm. She begins rubbing her arms up and down, kicking snow along the way. "Remind me why we're walking outside when it's below freezing?"

"Maybe you should've grabbed a jacket," Damon teases.

"I didn't have a chance to, dumbass," Elena smiles. "You shoved me out the window with you."

"I did no such thing," Damon protests. He wraps an arm around Elena's shoulders and pulls her close to him.

Elena's surprised by the body heat radiating off of Damon. She gradually feels herself getting warmer, buried in Damon's arms. They arrive at the Grill, only to find it crammed with a bunch of people.

"Well, this is inconvenient," Elena points out. "Why are there so many people here?"

"Good question, but look. The darts are free," Damon smirks, guiding Elena over to them. He picks one up and examines the point before taking a shot at the dartboard, hitting the center head-on.

"Oh, god," Elena groans. She grabs a dart and walks up to the board, sticking it in the center. Turning around, she gives Damon a smile. "I did it."

"Pfft, smartass," Damon chuckles. He grabs another dart and puts it in Elena's hand. "You got this."

"I don't got this," Elena mutters before shooting the dart. It ends up landing on the wall that the dartboard is placed on. "Oh my, look at that pure skill."

"I'm pretty sure you got worse at this game, Elena. Here…" Damon grabs another one and places it in her palm. He lines her up in front of the board and stands behind. Grabbing her wrist, he focuses up the aim of the dart she's holding. "And…shoot."

Elena pulls her wrist back and flicks it, causing the dart to land close to the center of the board. She blinks a couple of times before breaking into a smile. Elena lifts her arms in the air victoriously and yells, "Yeah!" She turns around and wraps her arms around Damon's neck. "I feel accomplished," she whispers into his ear. He grins in response and buries his nose in her hair, relishing in her scent.

"Elena? Damon…?"

Elena whips her head around to see Caroline and Stefan standing by the entrance of the Grill. She gestures for them to come over, which they do so, cautiously. They suspiciously eye Damon who gives them a mocking smile in return.

"Hey," Elena greets them with a nod. "What's up?"

"What's up?" Caroline repeats with disbelief. "I don't understand. What's going on here?"

"What she means is 'what the hell are you doing with Damon'," Stefan clarifies.

Elena rolls her eyes and gestures towards the dartboard. "We're playing darts."

"It sounds like you're deflecting, Elena," Stefan implies. "You were hugging him."

"He can still hear you guys," Damon deadpans, his mouth curling into a cold smirk.

"Yeah, I was hugging him. Actually, I've been hanging out with him for the past couple days," Elena informs them.

"You've what?!" Caroline shrieks, eyes widening. "Elena!"

"Caroline!" Elena retorts. "Listen, guys, Damon is improving, okay? He has reasons why he's been the way he has. I'm not saying that it makes it right, but he's going to try to fix his mistakes. Starting with apologizing." Elena gives Damon a pointed look.

"Look, Caroline, I am really sorry for killing your dad," Damon says sincerely. "I didn't know who he was at the time, but when I saw your face, I knew I screwed up. I ran because I'm a coward. And I'm sorry to both of you for being such a monumental dick all these years. I hope, overtime, you'll be able to forgive me."

Caroline and Stefan both look stunned, unsure of what to say. Eventually, Stefan stutters, "Uh, we're glad you apologized, Damon. You're really taking a step in the right direction. It's good to have you back, brother."

"Yeah, you were kind of an asshole, but I guess all that matters is that you're getting better," Caroline states, looking at her shoes.

"Drink, brother?" Damon tilts his head and looks at Stefan who nods.

"Why not."

Damon gives Elena a warm smile before heading to the bar with Stefan. Caroline suddenly grabs Elena's wrist and drags her off towards the bathroom. When they're alone, Caroline squeals and traps Elena in a big hug.

"Elena, you are a lifesaver! We tried everything to get Damon back, but nothing worked. I guess all he needed was you," Caroline sings. "Stefan's been mopey for the past years, but now he's got his brother back. Thank you!"

"Heh, I didn't really do anything," Elena mumbles. "Kinda had a heart to heart, but…"

"Well, it obviously has to do with how much you guys still love each other. Are you back together?"

"Um, I don't know what we are. I guess we're more than friends, but I don't think we're back together. It's complicated," Elena laughs.

"Can you finally admit what everyone's been telling you though?"

Elena sheepishly nods. "Yeah. Yeah, I still love him. I guess I never realized how much I needed him until he helped me through my nightmare."

"You had another nightmare?" Caroline cocks her head with concern.

"It wasn't as vivid, but it was worse than usual. I was in the car with my parents and we were all drowning together," Elena explains.

"Oh, you poor thing! That sound horrible." Caroline squeezes Elena's shoulder. "Wanna play some pool?"

"I suck at pool, Care," Elena reminds her. "Almost as much as I suck at darts."

"That just means I'm sure to win," Caroline giggles. "C'mon." She leads Elena back out of the bathroom and they begin playing pool.

"I can't hit a ball for the life of me," Elena whines.

"Nah, I'm sure you'll do great, 'Lena," Caroline assures her before smiling wickedly.

—

Three games later, Elena throws down her cue stick down in frustration. "I give up!"

Caroline's uncontrollable laughter only gets louder as she sees Elena's expression. "You shot the ball off the table and bounced it against someone's back. Priceless, Elena."

Elena shoots the back of Caroline's head a glare and covers her own with her hood. "I am so not playing with you again." She feels a tap on her shoulder and turns around to see the guy she hit with a ball.

"Missing something?" He holds up the cue ball while wearing a smirk on his face.

"Oh, god," Elena's face reddens further. "I'm sorry about that. Being around me while I'm playing pool is dangerous." She reaches for the ball but he moves it out of her grasp.

"You can make it up by buying me a drink," the guy slurs.

Elena inwardly groans. Of course she hit the one drunk who looked like a womanizer. "Look, I'm sorry about hitting you with a ball, but I don't have any money, so…"

"Well, I always accept other types of payment from pretty ladies like you," he grins devilishly.

Elena wasn't blind. She saw that this guy wasn't unattractive, but she kind of had a type. Raven black, perfectly tousled hair with iridescent blue eyes and a signature intoxicating smirk.

The man couldn't take a hint. When he advanced, Elena backed up. This moment gave Elena bad reminders of what had happened with Tyler Lockwood. His hands had somehow made their way on her hips, but Elena smacks them off.

"Do _not_ make me use my self-defense moves on you," Elena warns. "I will make you choke on your own balls." She feels a subtle breeze of air go by her and then Damon's arms are suddenly around her.

"I'd listen to her, buddy. She packs quite the punch and her threats are anything but idle," Damon purrs, flashing a fanged smile. The guy's eyes widen and he stumbles back towards the door.

Elena chuckles and turns around, suddenly feeling the waves of protectiveness and jealousy roll off of Damon. She folds her arms around his neck and begins combing through his black locks. Damon hums with content, pulling her close to him.

"You always seem to save me from these situations," Elena whispers with a smile.

"What can I say? I don't like seeing another man's hands on you," Damon murmurs in return.

"You should know," Elena swallows harshly before continuing, "You are the reason I couldn't say that I loved Liam. Not in the way I love you. Even after everything we've been through, _I never stopped loving you_."

Damon's eyes shine with love and warmth as he gazes at her. "I think the years that I've spent without you speak for themselves, but _I love you, too_ , Elena. So much…"

After seven years too many of being apart, their lips finally reunite in a passionately searing kiss, fire reigniting each of their souls. Elena savored the taste of Damon, remembering all too well how perfectly their lips molded together. When they pull apart, both are a little more than breathless.

Elena bites her already swollen lip and smiles up at him. He returns it with a heated gaze and an affectionate grin.

"Exceptional kisser as always, 'Lena," Damon mumbles, nuzzling her cheek endearingly.

"Oh my god, they totally just kissed! Ahh," Caroline gushes from behind Elena. "Look at their faces, Stefan!"

"I can see that, Care," Stefan chuckles, giving Elena and Damon an apologetic look.

"I am so walking in the next time you two are having sex," Damon grumbles, giving each of them a glare.

"Aw, don't be cruel, Damon," Elena coos. "You know how much they love their naked alone-time. Heh, Caroline screams Stefan's name so loud-"

Caroline's eyes widen and she slaps her hand over Elena's mouth. Her face reddening more by the second, she exclaims, "Don't spill the details, Elena!"

"So you guys are back together?" Stefan inquiries, quickly changing the subject.

Damon laughs and raises an eyebrow, "Do you even need to ask?"

"Yes, the soulmates are reunited," Caroline sings happily.

"Does this mean I'm no longer banned at the house?"

"For now," Stefan replies cheekily. "But if you guys christen our pristine furniture with your naked bodies, then you will be homeless again."

"Whatever you say, Stef. It's not like you would notice anyways."

Elena laughs lightly, ecstatic that things are finally getting back to normal.

 **do people still indulge in tvd? i don't**


End file.
